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LIBRARY 


PURCHASED  FROM 
THE 

WILLIAM  C.   SCHERMERHORN 
MEMORIAL  FUND 


A 

GENERAL     HISTORY 

O  F     T  H  C 

CHRISTIAN     CHURCH, 

TO    THt 

FALL  OF   THE  WESTERN  EMPIRE 


Bt  JOSEPH  PRIESTLEY,   ll.  d.  r.  1.  s.  Sec, 


IN    TWO    VOLUMES. 

VOL.     I. 

T*I   SECOND    EDITION   IMPROVED. 


TCiCV £V<tz($hus  uSk^oov  Tag  cv?cc<r&g,  %ca  70vg  iZ3*/  Tovjoig 

EUSEBIU.,. 


AjORTEUiVBERIAXQ\—£^  the  Author, 

By    Ai\  p?K;WC  X  JE  N  N  E  D  Y. 

Frajckl^hj-Hjjad,  Oj;e^n  Streb.. 

1803. 


' 


Tir  E 


DEDICATION. 


To  Samuel  Shore,  Esq, 

DEAR  SIR, 


i 


DO  not  think  that  I  can  dedicate  a  his- 
tory of  the  chnftian  church  to  any  perfon  with  fo 
much  propriety,  as  to  one  whofe  conduct,  like 
yours,  has  long  proved  him  to  be  a  Heady  friend 
of  chnflianity,  and  whofc  object  it  has  been  to  pre- 
ferve  it  as  unmixed  as  poflible  with  every  thing 
that  has  a  tendency  to  corrupt  and  debafe  it. 

Every  chriftian  mud  rejoice  in  reviewing  the 
rife  of  his  religion,  and  the  progrefs  which,  not- 
withfianding  the  oppofition  it  met  with  from  all 
the  power  and  policy  of  man,  it  made  in 
world  ;  as  it  affords  the  ftrotigeft  convi&ion  cfthe 
folirlity  of  the  ground  on  which  it  refts,  and  there- 
by confirms  to  us  the  mofl  valuable  of  all  human 
t  :.  :'  e£fcs,  that  of  a  refurre&ion  to  immortal  life,  a 
profpeft  which  nothing  bi     I  ;.ve 

us. 

Alfo, 


iv  The  DEDICATION. 

Alfo,  a  review  of  the  glorious  fufFerings  of  the 
ancient-  martyrs,  which  evidences  the  finnnefs  of 
their  faiih  in  circumftances  in  which  they  had  the 
befl  opportunity  offatisfying  themfelves  concern- 
ing the  foundation  of  it,  cannot  fail  both  to 
ftrengthen  our  faith,  and  to  animate  our  zeal,  and 
thereby  lead  us  to  feel,  and.  it  there  mould  be  oc- 
cj.Gon,  to  act.  as  they  did,  who  through  the  hope 
ter  life,  cheerfully  endured  all  that  men 
coJdinaicl:  upon  theni  in  this.  Compared  with 
what  they  did  and  differed,  what  is  all  that  wt  can 
i  -.See  in  the  fame  caufe  ?  How  zealous  then 
mould  we  be  to  compenfate  hy  active  fervices,  for 
the  want  of  more  meritorious  pajfive  ones  ? 

As  an  active  ft        1  of  r  s    liberty,  you, 

Sir,  will  rejoice  to  fee   he  progrefs  that  chriftianity 

Je  while  it  was  left  to  it*  own  energy,  unfettered 

Ly  tl  .  1  alliance  which  it  afterwards  unhappi- 

d  with  the  powers  of  this  world  ;  when  the 

ds  (up-plied  its  mintfiers  with  every 

thing  that  they  wanted,   without  any  compulfion, 

and  when  all,  with  one  heart,  devoted  thfmfelves 

. :  caufe  of  truth  k^o 

But  you  wi  iodofthehif- 

t  inoft  unnatu- 

:  •■    iwiC.Z  Of    fuch 

to  this    d?y, 

•    .     \  fpirit  of  the 

.,rch}  af]  temperance, 

heavenly 


The  DEDICATIO:  | 

hcavenly-mindcdn-  univcrfal   charity,    im- 

parted to  the  rninn  le  church,  its  own  c     - 

rupt  principles  and  in  mners ;  i;  ,         | 

a  third  for  wealth  and  power,  and   even   d 
them  of  the  principles  of  humanity  and  coi 
on,  whenever  any  obftacls  oppofed  their    am. 
ous   views ;  fo  that  at  length  the   pcrftcution  of 
chriflians    by    chriftians    became  as   bloody   and 
unrelenting,  as  that  of  the  pagan  emperors. 

Even  in  this  reformed  country,  and  with  all 
the  pretentions  of  modern  times  to  liberality  °f 
fentiment,  the  minifters  of  Chrift,  rvhofe  king. 
was  net  of  this  world,  deceived  by  th 
fequenccs  ot  this  alliance,  and  in  thefe  inftances  de- 
parting from  the  precepts  of  equal  juflice,  and  the 
example  of  cat  mailer,  too  frequently  be- 

ie  advocates  for  fuch  meafures  of  government 
as  would  (abject  their  fellow  chriftians  to  heavy 
civil  penalties ;  and  are  led  to  urge  tlie  continu- 
ance of  laws  which  deprive  ack.:  d  good 
fubjcSs  of  the  common  rights  of  citizens,  merely 
on  account  of  a  difference  refpe&ing  religious  doc- 
trines or  forms  of  worfhip. 

This  ftate  of  things  ihduld  ex  !   tempe- 

rate, but  ftead  Fort*,  <  ' 

kind,  to 
'-.  ;    . 
no  doul. 

..  . 

....  1 


vi  The  DEDICATION, 

and  an  end  be  put  to  atl  ufurpations  on  the  con- 
ferences of  men.  And  when  we  (hall  fee  that  every 
claim  to  antichriflian   power  actually   yielded    to 
general  convict  mi,  and  perceive  the  weak  fupports 
on  which  that  power  has   hitherto    refted,   many 
Will  wonder  that  human  nature  could  ever   have 
fubmrted  to  it,   and  our  poilerity  will  want    the 
evidence  of  hiiiory  to  be  convinced  of  its  exiftence. 
It  is  a  real  fatisfaSion,  though  at  the  firft   af- 
pecl  of  a  melancholy  kind,   to  trace  the  progrefs 
of  thofe  fup^rftitions,  and   thofe  corruptions,  in 
doctrine  and  diicip'ine,  by  which  chriftianity  has 
been  fo  much  debafed,  and  the   natural  influence 
of  it  dimi  aimed,  now  that  by  the  force  of  its   own 
principles,  it  has,  in  a  great  meafure,  recovered  it- 
frorn  the  deplorable  ftate  into    /hich   it    had 
funk.     This   circumftance  furnifhes  an  additional 
evidence  of  its  truth  and  importance,  and  affords  a 
fure  profpecx  that,  in  due  time,  it  will  purge  itfelf 
from  every  thing  that  has   hitherto  defiled  it,   and 
become  once  more  what  it  was  at  its  first  promul- 
gation.    And  it  may  well  be   prefamed  that  the 
knowledge  we  now  have  of  thofe  corruptions,   and 
of  the  caufes  which  produce  .  ■;.  will  effectual*' 

ly  prevent  a  relapfe  into  anj  fimilar  ftate   for    the 
futui  . 

We  .        fore  confided  ourfelves   as  in  a 

better  fhi  iticn  t  rimitive   chrifti- 

ans,a  maybe  compared  td  that  of  Adam  in 

Paradife, 


The  DEDICATION, 


^.i 


Paradife,  innocent,  indeed,  but  wir 
ledge  of  evil,  and  therefore  infecurr  .  ours 

is  a  Hate ,  fequaIpuri./,Lui  fuperiorkn. 
confrqucntly  of  g  \i  ri  y  •  fo   i:    .  I.out 

the  fear  of    any  more  c  i 

by  anticipation,  the  piofpeft  ot  the  certain,  if  not 
fpeedy,  downfall,  of  all  error,  before  the  increas- 
ing light  of  truth ,  and  of  every  r  ower,  temporal  or 
fpiritual,  that  oppofes  i  felf  to  the  kingdom  of  God 
and  of  Ckrijl;  which  the  fure  word  of  prophecy 
informs  us,  is  to  eltaMifh  itfelf  in  the  world,  and 
to  continue  till  time  fhall  be  no  more.  We  every 
day  fee  figns  of  the  nearer  approach  of  thofe  glo- 
rious times,  in  which  truth,  virtue,  and  liberty, 
will  diffufe  themfelves  over  the  whole  earth,  and 
when  error,  vice,  and  tyranny,  will  in  every  coun- 
try fall  before  them. 

You  will  rejoice  with  me  that  there  is  now  one 
country  in  the  world,  and  one  of  growing  extent 
and  importance,  in  which  chriftianity  fubfifts 
without  any  alliance  with  the  ftate  ;  and  that 
the  eyes  of  a  neighbouring  kingdom,  formerly  the 
feat  of  a  moft  grievous  perfecution,  are  now  fo  far 
opened  as  to  fee  the  tolly  of  depriving  men  of  their 
civil  rights  on  account  of  their  religious  opinions, 
that  their  freedom  will  probably  be  much  mow 
compleat  than  ours;  and  with  all  the  friends  of 
liberty,   you  will  indulge  the  pleafing  profped, 

that 


viii  The  DEDICATION.  * 

that  fo  glorious  an  example  will  be  followed  by 
other  countries. 

In  the  mean  time,  let  us  not  fail  to  do  our 
part  to  promote  this  great  caufe.  Be  it  our  ftudy 
to  underftand  the  genuine  principles  of  the  gofpel 
we  profefs,  and  to  be  afliduous  in  propagating 
them,  by  enlightning  the  minds  of  all  to  whom 
we  have  accefs. 

Partaking,  I  hope,  in  your  juft  feelings  on  this 
important  fubjecl:, 

I  am,  Dear  Sir, 
Your  friend  and 
Fellow  chiiftian, 

J.  PRIESTLEY, 
Birmingham ,  JaiuX*  1T90, 


The    PREFAC  E, 


|    HE  idea  of  wilting  this  hiflory  was  flrffc 
fug g  the  attention  thac  I  have  lately  giv- 

en t    the  ee  writers  of  the  tour  or  five 

f  es,  in  order  lo  determine  what  was  the 

of  the  primitive  church  concerning  the  per- 
fon  of  Clirift.  Seeing  that  this  opinion,  and  o- 
thers  conne&ed  with  it,  had  been  greatly  mifcon- 
ceived,  and  mifreprefented,  by  all  the  eccleuafli- 
cal  hiftorians,  I  was  willing  to  exhibit  the  orignal 
doctrine,  and  the  gradual  deviations  i,o<7)  it,  in  a 
regular  hiflory  of  every  thing  relating  to  the  cLiif. 
tian  church.  For  want  of  an  c 
written  on  thefe  juft  principles,  j  is  vv  ire  un- 
der a  neceflity  of  foi  wrong  conceptions 
this  important  (  from  every  hifl  aid 
fall  into  their  har     . 

It  alfo  appeared  to  me,  that  tHfere 
plefiaftical  hiftory  that 
nous  to  be  generally  read,  or  too  cone   a  t 

mu 


X 


PREFACE. 


much  ufe.  Mofheim's,  which  is  mod  read  by 
Proteftants,  befides  labouring  under  the  great  ob- 
jection of  miftating  the  important  opinions  above 
mentioned,  is  much  too  fhorton  many  interefiing 
articles  ;  and  his  method,  though  he  ftudird  it  per- 
haps too  much,  is  by  no  means  happy  ;  as  he  di- 
vides his  work  (which,  indeed,  molt  others  do)  in- 
to centuries,  which  is  arnficiaj  a  id  unnatural,  and 
feparates  the  profperous  from  the  calamitous  events, 
which  ought  to  be  related  in  their  natural  con- 
nexion. 

Confide^g  how  unfavourable  a  ^prefliori 
has  been  made  upon  manv  fuperficiai  Ly 

what  Mr.  Gibbon  has  advanced  concerning  the 
rife  and  progrefs  of  chriflianity,  I  alfo  wifhed  to 
fee  a  church  biftory  in  which  the  fa&s  fnould  be 
fo  flared,  as  of  themfelvcs  to  fupply  an  anfwer  to 
his  artful  iniinuations.  This  is  the  bed  defence 
of  chriflianity,  ihewing  that  to  eflablifh  itfelf  as  it 
actually  did,  it  mull  neceffarily  have  been  founded 
in  truth.  To  affift  my  younger  readers,  I  have 
made  many  obfervations  of  this  kind. 

Befides  demonflrating  the  truth  of  chriflianity, 
in  this  the  belt  of  all  methods,  by  a  Gmple  exhibi- 
tion ot  facts,  I  wifhed  to  give  young  perfons  more 
efpccially  an  idea  of  the  great  value  of  chriflianity, 
by  fhewing  its  influence  on  the  minds  of  thofe  who 
firft  received  it,  and  how  nobly  it  led  them  to  think 
and  to  aciy  railing  them  above  the  world;   and   ail 

the 


P     R     E     F     A     C     E. 


XI 


the  honours  and  emoluments  of  it  •    how,  for  the 
great  hope  that  it  Jet  before  tltem,  they   chcarl 
fubmitted  to  bear  the  lofs  of  all  things,    r.nd   made 
light  of  pain  and  death  in  every  mode   of  torture. 
Wuh  this  view  I  have  been  more  p  ;  icular    than 
might  have  been  expected    from  a  hiilory  of  this 
extent,  in  my  account  of  the  ancient  martyrdoms  • 
judging  rrom  myfelf,  that  no  reading   is    fo  ir 
eflmg,  or  fo  ufeful.     In  Mofheim  there  is  nothin  ; 
of  this  hind,     He  only    enumerates  the   persecu- 
tion, "it  mentioning   any  of  the  particulars, 
and             ill  not  intereft  the  reader    at   all.     But 
by  dwelling  a  little  on  ttefe  particulars,  I  f 1 
myfelfthat  I  have  written  fuch  a  hiftory  as  mjy 
not  only  be  confnited,  but  be   read,  efpecially  by 
young  perforts.     However,  as    I    h""e   not    ( 
divided  the  work  into  a   great  number  of  p. nods, 
but  alio  \ntofcclions,  the  fubje&s  of  which  are  dif- 
tinctly  fpecihed,  any  perfon  may,   without   much 
trouble,  felecl  or  emit,  whatever  he  pie; 

In  eompofing  this  work,  as  well  as  my  Hijlory 
of  Early  Opinions  concerning  Chrijl,  I  wrote  im- 
mediately from  original  writers,  and  afterwards  con- 
futed the  mod  refpeflable  or  t'le  moderns,  by 
which  means  I  have  been  able  t<  y  fon 

cles  which  I  had  ovt    ooked,  efpec  illy,  fuch  as  are 
collected  from   we  Is    not    p' 
The  author!  thui  ed   to,  I  have  never  failed 

to  confult  with    i  every  thii  g    of 

quence  ; 


Xll 


PREFACE, 


quence  ;  and  when  I  did  not  think  that  neccffaryy 

I  have  quoted  the  writers  I  have    a&ually     made 

ufe  of;  which,  it  will  be  feen,  has  only  been  with 

re(pe&  to  articles  which  no  perfon  in  this  age  can 

befuppcfed  to  have  any  motive  to  mifrepref  ent 

fuch  as  the  later  accounts  of  the    Donatifts.     So 

ed  is  the  charafte  r  of  Dr.  Lardner,  for  dc- 

ligence  and  fidelity,  that  I  have  made  no  fcruple, 

.  cd  occafions,  to  copy  him,  and  make  ufe 

of  his  tranflatioiis.     By  this  means  I  have  relieved 

myfelf  ./hen  I  could  ;  but  I  have  fpared  no  labour 

'which  I  thought  necefTar/tomakerny  workufeful 

and  authentic, 

I  call  this  hiftory  a  general  one,  and  not  parti- 
cm),  m  critical  Whatever  appeared  to  me  to 
•ur  zfaMe,  I  have  commonly  omitted,  and  with*. 
out  any  diicuflson.  The  fame  I  have  done  with 
refpe&  to  dates,  giving  thofe  which  appeared  to  me 
to  be  neareft  the  truth,  especially  thole  fugplied  by 
Dr.  Lardner.  Not  that  I  have  a^y  obje&io 
the  critical  difculhon  of  fuch  fubjeas.  On  the 
contrary,  I  oiten  think  them  of  imp  and  I 

fomeUmes  take  much    p:ca(ure    in    enl   ring 
them,  as  may  appear  from  the  dirlertations   prefix- 
ed to  my  Harmony  oft! 

controvei  fy  wit  mop  ci  Waterford,  concern- 

ing the  duration  of  ChriiTs  minillry.     But    this 
was  not  my  ol  tBfe  prefent  vvoik,  which   I 

wifhedto  make   interefting  to  the  generality    of 
re*dt  i  *  bave 


R    E    F    A     C    E, 


XIII 


I  have  bro; 
period,  conv.  t  C01 

cerning  the  of  Chrifi 

fir  ft  general  counc  I    lI.c 

removal  o  •  "•    ich  y  oi 

that  authori 

afterward  btfls 

progrefs  of  which  Ac 

next  divifion  ol  -?   it. 

whether  I  fnaM  pa  berf  Tarn 

undetermined. 

.    1  thou  ;ht 
that  I  was  a 

upon  the  [ubje&.     W    '  e&  to  i       t  follow ?, 

I  do  not  know  that  I  (ball  be  ab  -    ; 

but  it  r:  .if   I  fti  ''no 

more  than  felecl,  and  arraxi 
dy  well  done,  fo  as    to  mal 

tion  of  this  work  u  .If 

this  mould  appear  i  :e  wifh  of  many  oi 

readers,  1  (hall  pro]  ke  it;  and 

if  I  fhonld    find  my  felt  at  leifure,  I  may   in  ... 
fame  manner,  write  the  hi  Ac  y  o\  reforn 

itfelf,  and  even  continue  it  to  the  prefent  c 
In  '  i  time,  what  I  have  now  done  I 

hend  to  be  fu,  \y  compleat  of  itf 

It  is  generally  obferved  that 
five.     And  certainly  of  all 
tion,  hijiory  beft  lulls  the  h         eriods  oi  1 


*iv  PREFACE. 

powers  of  invention  dimini  filing,  and  thofe  (  r<?- 
JteHion,  at  leaft  a  difpofition  to  reflect,  incr^  fing. 
Jfl  fhould  find  this  to  be  the  cafe  with  my  elf,  I 
ihdl\  be  happy  ^o  have  fo  pleafing,  and  fo  ufeful^ 
cr  employmeni  in  profpeclr.  For  of  all  hiftory, 
of  the  mind  of  man,  in  the  progrefs  cf  cpi- 
riions,  and  their  confequences,  which  is  aioft  con- 
fpicuotis  iates  to  cbriilianity,  wiH  p'eafe 

me  b«  ft.  Aa  <  a  oach  nearer  co  another  (late, 
eve*  is  any  reference   to    it, naturally 

pr*6vei  more  Ling. 

I  amfai  rom  expecting  that  I,  who  have  found 
errors  in  oth<  rs,  fhould  have  efcaped  them  rm  fclf* 
If  any  he  poised  oat  ;o  mc,  I  ihaJl  b«  readi  to 
rectify  them  in  i_i:ure  editions  of  the  ^oik. 

N.  R.  The  dates  annexed  io  the  names  of  the 
bi&ops  of  all  the  greater  fees  in  the  chronological 
table,  at  the  end  of  this  work,  are  taken  chiefly  from 
the  Ahrege  chronologique  de  I'Hifioire  Ecclejiajliquc, 

2  Vuls. 


ce  this  was   written   it  h?s   pleafed  divine 

providence  to  remove  roe  to  a  fituation,  in    which 

I  have  had  abundant  leifure  to  continue  tins  il  I- 

o  the  prefent  time.     The  Continuation 

is  comprized  in    voh  mes  8vo.  arc!   dedicated 

to    \  JefFerfon    Prefideni    of  Rie   United 

St;   e*  of     ca. 

0  O  N- 


CONTENTS 


O     ?      T    H    Jt 


F  I  R  T      VOLUME, 


X  HE  Introduction         -  x 

P     E     R     I     O     D       I. 

From  the    Public    Mhiiilry  ui' J^fus  to  the 

Death  of  Nero.  a.  d  63.  9 

Sect.  I.     From  the  public   Appearance  of 

Jfefus  to  Jus  Afcen/ioi .  a   d.  j  ibid 

Sect.  II.     From  the   .  .         .  to 

the  ConverJlOtl  oj  Paul  -  -  27 

Sect.  I J  I.     From  th 

the  ■preaching  of  the  G  C  48 

Sect.  IV.     From  the  p^  acl 

pef to  the  Gentiles  to  the  Cou-^..  A- 

pojllcs  at  Jerufal  m 
Sect.  V.     From  the  Council  oj  . 

to  Paul's  third  apojhlical  Journey  75 

Sect. 


xvi  CONTENTS. 

Sect.  VL     From  Paul's  third  Journey  to    Pags 
his  Confinement  at  Jen  -         -         06 

Sect.  VII,  From  Pa:  .  hnement  at 
Jerufalem  to  his  arrival  afSfcomc,  a.  d.  6i, 
and  his  Em jjUymcnt  there  -  -  109 

Sect.  VI II,  Of  the  Labours  of  the  other 
Apo files  -  -  -  126 

S  e  c  t  .  I X  „     Of  the  P  erf ecution  under  Nero       133 

Sect.  X.  Of  the.  Calamities  of  the  Jews, 
and  of  the  Definition  of  Jerufalcm  and 
the  Temple  ~  -  -  13* 

Sect.  XL  General  Obfervations  on  the 
Doctrine  and  Difcipline  of  the  Qhrifiian 
€hurch  at  this  Period  -  16a 

PERIOD       II. 

Of  the  Pcrfecution  by  Dornitian,  and  the 
Hiftory  of  the  Chriilian  Church  to  the 
End  of  the  Reign  of  Adrian,  a.  d.  138.      176 

Sict.  I.  From  the  Death  of  Nero,  a.  d. 
69,  to  that  of  Trajan,  a.  d.  117.  ibid 

Sect.  II.  From  the  Death  of  Trajan,  a.  d. 
117,  to  that  of  Adrian,  a.  d,  138.  185 

Sect.  III.  Of  .the  Gnojiics  in  the  Reign  of 
Adrian  -  x  -  19s 

Sect.  IV.  Of  the  Qhrifiian  Writers  in  this 
Period.  -  -  *99 

PERIOD         III. 

From  the  Death  of  Adrian,  a.  d.  138,  to 
that  of  Marcus  Aurelius,  a,  d,  180.  207 

Sect. 


xvii  CONTENT  S, 

V 
Sect.  I.      Of  the  Stale  of Chriflianity  in  the 
Reign  of Antoninut  I  tar- 

ty rdoms   of  Polycai  in   the 

Reign  of  Marcus  Aurclivfc  -  207 

Sect.  If.     Of  the  Chridian  Martyrs  at  Ly- 
ons and  Viciuie  in  Gaul  -  -  220 
Sect.  III.      Of  Montanifm         -  228 
Sect,  IV.     Of  the   Origin  of  the  Doctrine 

of  the  Trinity  -  -  -  237 

Sect.  V.  Of  ike  State  of  the  Jews,  in  this 
Period,  and  the  fubfequent  ones,  collected 
chiefly  from  Bafnage's  Hiflory  of  them  248 

Se^ct.  VI.  Of  the  Writers -within  this  Pe- 
riod -  -  -  -  252 

PERIOD  IV. 

From  the  Reign  of  Commodas,  a.  d.  180. 

to  that  of  Decius,  a.  d.  249.  259 

Sect.  I.  The  general  Hiftory  of  this  Pe- 
riod -  ibid 

Sect.  II.  Of  the  Sufferings  of  Perpetua 
and  Felicitas,  with  thofe  of  their  Com- 
p  anions  -  .  -  268 

Sect.  III.  Of  the  Controverfy  concerning 
Eajler  -  -  -  276 

Sect.    IV.       Of  the    Gnojiics    within    this 

Period  -  .  280 

Sect.  V.     Of  the   Unitarians  within  this 

Period  -  -  -  2  82 


S 


ECT. 


CONTENTS, 


XV11I 

Pagj 


Sect.  VI.     Of  the  Growth  of  Super Jlition 
iviihin  this  Period.  -  -  289 

Sect.  VII.     Of  the  Writers  within  this  Pe- 
riod -  -  292 
PERIOD       V. 

From  the   Reign  of  Deems,    a.  d.  249,   to 

that  of  Diocletian,  a.  d.  284.  305 

Sect.  I.     OfthePerfecuticnbyDecius  ibid 

Sect.  II.  From  theAcceffion  of  G alius,  a. 
d.  251,  to  the  Reign  of  Diocletian,  a.  d. 
284.  -  -  -  318 

Sect.  III.     Of  the  Treatment  of  Penitents, 

and  (he  Origin  of  the  Novatians  328 

Sect.  IV.     Of  the  Origin  of  the  Monks  342 

Sxct.  V,     Oj  Unitarianifm  in  this  Period         351 
Sect.  VI.     Of  the  Controverfy  concerning 

the  Reign  of  Chrifl  upon  Earth  361 

S  e  c  t.  V 1 1.     Of  the  Writers  -within  this  Pe- 
riod -  -  -  364 
PERIOD       VI. 
Of  the   Perfecution  under  Diocletian,  a.  d. 
302,  and  to   the   fettlement   of  the   Em- 
pire under  Conflantine,  A.  D.  3I3.                     375 
Sect.   I.     Of  the  Progrefs  of  the  Perfecuiicn 

in  general  -  -  380 

Sect.  II.     Of  the  Conduct   of  the   Heathen 
Philofophers,  and  of  the  firfl  Stop  that  was 
put  to  the  P erf ecution  -  -         395 

Sect 


;tfx  CONTENTS 

Sect.  Ill-  The  Renewal  of the  Pcrfcculion 
and  the  final  Ccfjation  of  it  401 

Sect.  IV.     Of  the  Martyrs  of  Pale flinc  413 

Sect.  V.  Offomc  Martyrdoms,  the  Accounts 
of  which,  though  ancient,  ire  mixed  with 
Fable,  viz,  that  of  Boniface,  and  thofe  of 
Tarachus,  Probus,  and  Andronicus  428 

Sect.  VI.  A  general  Victo  of  the  Civil  Re- 
volutions in  the  Empire,  previous  to  the  Set- 
tlement of  it  under  Confiantint  446 

Sect.  Vll.  General  Obfervations  on  this 
great  Perfecution  and  the  Effects  of  it  451 

Sect.  VIII.     Of  the  Meletians  and  the  Do- 

natifls  *  460 

Sect.  IX.    Of  the  Manichceans  46S 

Sect.  X.  Of  the  Confutation  of  the  Chrif- 
tian  Church  before  the  TimeofConftantine      473 

Sect.   XL     Of  the  Dottrints  of  this  Period     485 


T  II  E 


THE 


INTRODUCTION. 


I 


F  we  judge  of  the  importance  of  events 
by  the  greatnefs  of  their  effe&s,  and  their  influ- 
ence on  the  weil  being  of  mankind,  we  muft  con- 
clude that  no  hi  ft?  ry  whatever  can  be  fo  intereft- 
ing  as  that  of  the  rife  and  prog  re  fs  of  chriflianity. 
The  change  which  it  has  occafioned  in  the  world 
is  unfpeakably  more  wonderful  in  its  nature,  than 
that  which  was  biought  about  by  the  eftablifhment 
of  any  empire,  from  the  beginning  of  the  world 
io  the  piefent  day  ;  the  Roman  empire  itfelf,  which 
was  of  the  greattft  extent,  and  the  longeft  dura- 
ration  ot  any  of  them,  not  excepted.  While  they 
all.  in  their  turns,  have  gone  to  decay  and  ruin, 
the  kingdom  of  Chrift  is  flill  extending  itfelf;  fo 
that  we  cannot  doubt  but  that  it  will  at  length  em- 
brace all  mankind,  and  continue  to  the  end  of 
time.  With  refpect  to  the  value  of  chriflianity, 
it  may  with  truth  be  faid  that  it  raifes  man  above 
Vol.  I.  A  man, 


2  INTRODUCTION. 

man,  even  in  his  mod  civilized  ftate,  unfpeakabl/ 
more  than  men  are  by  nature  raifed  above  brute 
animals.  It  forms  them  to  true  dignity  of  con- 
duel  in  this  life,  and  thus  prepares  them  for  that 
glorious  and  immortal  life  alter  death,  with  which 
it  brings  us  acquainted. 

This  hiftory  is  the  more  interefting,  as  it  exhibits 
this  greateft  of  all  changes  in  the  ftate  of  me  world, 
taking  its  rife  from  the  fmalleft  beginnings,  and 
triumphing,  without  the  aid  of  external  force,  over 
all  the  powers  that  man  could  oppofe  to  it. 

Chriflianity,  though  founded  on  merG  opinion, 
viz.  the  belief  of  certain  facts,  fuch  as  the  miracles, 
death,  and  refurre&ion  of  Jefus,  and  the  miracles 
performed  by  the  apoflles  after  him,  produced  vi- 
iible  and  mod  extraordinary  effects,  both  with  re- 
fpect  to  religion,  and  even  civil  government;  and  the 
evidence  of  the  facis  was  lo  clear  and  (hiking, 
that  the  doftrines  which  were  confirmed  by  it  pre- 
vailed over  every  oppofite  fyftem  of  opinions,  even 
thofe  which  had  taken  the  deepeft  root,  and  which 
had,  from  time  immemorial,  been  connected  with 
practices  to  which  mankind  had  the  greateft  at- 
tachment, both  from  the  fafcinating  nature  of  the 
things  themfelves,  and  the  belief  that  the  welfare 
of  ftates  abfolutely  depended  upon  the  obfervance 
of  them. 

The  religious  worlhip  of  all  the  heathen   world 

was. 


INTRODUCTION.  3 

\;:\s  what  is  properly  termed  mere  Jupcrjliit<n,  be- 
ing altogether  founded  on  an  ignorance  oi  the  tnid 
caufes  of  things  ;  and,  confequcntly,  it  led  men  to 
purfue  certain    ends  by  means  which  had  no  c 
ne&ion  with  them  ;    and  it   is   not    probable    that 
any    knowledge  that  they  would  ever  have  acqui- 
red of  the  real  laws  of  nature  would  have  been  fuf- 
ficient    to  cure  that  fuperflition.      It  was  either  to 
the  influence  oi  the  fun,  moon,  and  (tars,  the  earth, 
and  other  viable  parts  of  nature,  or  to  that  of  dc 
men  (whofe  powers  they  imagined  to  be  continued 
and  enlarged  after  death)  to  which  they  had  afcrib- 
ed  all  the  good    and   evil  which   they  could  not 
otherwife  account  for; and,  accordingly,  thefe  were 
the  obje&s  to   which  their  religious   worfhip  had 
been  directed.     And  being  of  courfe  left   to  their 
own  imaginations  with  refpeel   to  the  methods  oi 
fecuring   the  favour  of  thofe  deities,  and  naturally 
enough    fuppofing    that   they   were  pleafed   w 
fuch  things  as  pleafed  thcmfelvcs,   it  is  no  won 
(the  fancies    of  men  being  infinitely   various)  that 
among  other   methods  they   had   recpurfje  to   acts, 
the  object   of  which  is  to  gratify  fenfuality  or    i   - 
venge,  paHTions  by  which  themfelves  were  chi 
fwayed.       Accordingly,    fome    of  their    i 
rites    and    ceremonies  were   of  an  ex] 
painful,  and  otl    rs 


4  INTRODUCTION. 

in  the  gratification  of  their  fenfual  appetites  ;  but 
purity  of  morals  had  never  been  the  object  of  any 
religion  of  the  heathens,  and  the  little  knowledge 
they  hid  of  a  future  ftatc  (which  had,  no  doubt, 
been  derived  from  the  tradition  of  fome  early  reve- 
lation, miferably  corrupted)  was  fuch  as  to  have 
ro  influence  on  the  conduct  of  even  the  lower 
clafTes  of  men,  and  was  wholly  difregarded  by  the 
higher. 

The  Jews,  a  people  inconfiderable  with  refpeft 
to  number,  power,  or  extent  of  territory  (who,  af- 
ter being  a  flourifhing  and  independent  nation, 
had  been  held  in  fubjeclion  bv  all  the  great  mo- 
narchies of  antiquity,  from  the  Babylonian  to  the 
Roman)  had  alone  the  benefit  of  a  religion  inftitu- 
ted  by  God  himfelf,  and  proved  to  be  fo  by  fuch 
interpolations  of  divine  providence  in  their  favour, 
efpecially  at  the  promulgation  of  it,  as  the  invete- 
rate obftinacy  and  incredulity  of  that  people  had 
not  been  able  to  refill,  and  to  which,  after  many 
relapfes  into  idolatry,  they  were,  in  the  time  of 
our  Saviour,  rrfofe  li 2 :n!y  attached.      To  the  pecu- 

rttes  of  their  religion  the  generality  of  the  na- 
tion, who  were  of  the  feci:  cf  the  Pharifees,  had  ad- 
ded many  obfervances  of  their  own  invention,  and 
on  thefe  they  laid  as  much  flrefs  as  on  things 
ol  divine  inftitution;  while  a  few  of  the  richer  fort 

were 


INTRODUCTION.  § 

were  of  the  feci;  of  the  Sadducccs,  who  not  only  re- 
jected the  traditions  of  the  Pharifees,  but  dilbclived 
the  doctrine  of  the  refurreclion. 

The  Jewifti  nation  had  been  favoured  with  an 
almoft  uninterrupted  fucceffion  of  prophets,  fiom 
the  time  of  Mofes  to  that  of  Malichi,  a  period  of 
more  than  a  thoufand  years  ;  but  from  that  time 
there  had  been  no  prophets,  nor  any  pretention  to 
prophecy,  for  the  fpace  of  more  than  four  hundred 
years,  when  Jefus,  the  founder  of  the  chriflian  re- 
ligion, immediately  preceded  by  John  the  Baptift, 
rofe  among  them. 

About  the  time  of  his  appearance  there  was  a 
general  expectation  among  the  Jews  of  the  coming 
of  their  Meffiah,  a  perfon  announced  by  the  pro- 
phet Daniel  under  that  title,  which  fignifies  one 
who  is  anointed,  or  appointed  by  God  to  an  office 
of  great  dignity.  But  though  it  was  exprefsly 
laid  that  the  Median  was  to  be  cut  off,  the  Jews 
feem  to  have  given  no  attention  to  this  circum- 
ftance,  but  applied  to  him  all  that  is  faid  of  their 
future  prince  of  the  houfe  of  David,  who  is  to  reign 
over  them  when  they  mall  be  reltored  to  their 
own  country,  and  be  the  mofl  diftinguifhed  nation 
upon  earth.  They  therefore,  imagined  that,  as  they 
were  then  in  fubjeelion  to  the  Romans,  their  Mei- 
(iah  would  deliver  them  from  that  ftate  of  fervitude, 

and 


€  INTRODU  CTION. 

and  extend  his  conquefls  over  the  neighbouring 
countries,  as  David  had  done.  The  hiftory  of 
the  Jews  (hews  this  expectation  in  the  ilrongeft 
light  and  our  Saviours's  conduct  (and,  as  we  may 
fay,  that-  of  divine  providence)  was  very  much 
guided  by  it.  For  had  Jefus  been  from  the  hrft 
announced  in  the  character  of  the  Median,  the 
jews  immediately  connecting  with  it  the  idea  of  a 
temporal  prince,  and  a  conqueror  (which  he  was 
not  to  be)  much  inconvenience  would  have  arifen 
from  it,  efpecially  with  refpect  to  the  Romans, 
who  being  mailers  in  the  country,  would  have  been 
jealous  of  fuch  a  perfon. 

Accordingly,  when  John,  the  forerunner  of 
Jefus  made  his  appearance,  his  commiflion  went 
no  farther  than  to  announce  the  fpeedy  approach 
of  another  perfon  much  greater  than  himfelf.  Like 
many  other  prophets,  he  called  upon  his  hearers 
to  repent,  andasa  token,  it  mould  feem,  ofafolemn 
promife  to  amend  their  live?,  he  by  divine  ap- 
pointment required  them  to  be  baptized.  Though 
John  worked  no  miracles,  he  had  in  his  man- 
ner and  drefs  fo  much  the  appearance  of  one 
(  f  (he  ancient  Jewifh  prophets,  and  the  aufterity 
and  fanctity  of  his  life  gave  fuch  a  credit  t6 
what  he  taught,  that  he  was  generally  received  in 
the  character  of  a  prophet ;  in  fomuch  that  tho'  the 
f  the  1  ation,  and  the  teachers  of  the  law, 

whole 


I  N  T  R  O  D  V  C  r  1  O      .  7 

who  fa  hypocrify   and  immoralities  he   inveighed 
againft,  took  umbrage  at  his  popularity,  and  had 

no  faith  in  his  divine  million,  they  dm  it  nut  openly 
avow  their  opinion. 

The  fcene  of  John's  preaching  was  at  Hrfl  in 
the  wildernefs  of  judca,  which  was  under  the  go- 
vernment of  the  Romans,  but  afterwards  in  the 
country  beyond  Jordan,  which  was  in  the  domi- 
nion of  Ilerod,  who  re fpe&ed  him  greatly.  But 
the  prophet  having,  with  the  liberty  which  be- 
came his  character,  reproved  him  for  taking  He- 
rodias,  the  wife  of  his  brother  Philip,  and  who  had 
eloped  from  him,  Herod,  on  what  pretence  does 
not  appear,  put  him  in  prifon ;  and  Herodias, 
being  highly  incenfed  againft  him,  induced  her 
bufband  to  give  orders  for  his  execution  ;  taking 
advantage  of  a  rafh  promife  which  he  had  made  to 
give  her  daughter  (who  had  pleafed  him  by  danc- 
ing at  a  public  entertainment}  whatever  fhe 
fliould  afk,  and  prompting  her  to  a  fie  the  head  of 
John.  The  preaching  of  John  began  in  the  fif- 
teenth year  of  the  reign  of  Tiberius,  in  the  year 
28  of  our  prefent  aera,  and  he  was  put  to  death  in 
the  year  following. 


PERIOD 


PERIOD     I. 


IRjM      THE     PUHLIC     MINISTRY    OF    JeSUS     To 
IHt    DiiATH    OF      NERO.    A.    D.   G8. 


SECTION    I. 


From  the  public  Appearance  of  Jejlts  to  his  Afcen- 
Jion.A.  d.  29. 


A 


T  the  dea'h  of  John,  Jefus  had 
preached  fame  weeks,  and  had  a  conGderable 
number  of  followers,  out  of  whom  he  had  juft  be- 
fore appointed  twelve  to  be  his  conflant  attend- 
ants; and  from  being  comm'flTioned  to  preach  his 
religion  in  diftant  countries,  he  gave  them  the  ap- 
pellation of  applies.  His  public  miniflry  commen- 
ced foon  after  his  being  baptized  by  John,  which 
was  immediately  followed  by  a  remaikable  appear- 
ance ot  fomething  like  the  defcent  of  a  dove  upon 
him,  accompanied  with  an  audible  voice,  fa)ing, 
Vol.  I.  B  This 


io        THE  HISTORY  OF  THE      Ter   I. 

This  is  my  beloved  Son  ;  and  this  ^3s  the  firfr  inti- 
mation that  John  had  who  the  perfon  was  whom 
he  was  fem  to  a.  nounce. 

After  his  baotifm  Jcfus  wns  led  by  the  fpirit  of 
God  into  the  wildernefs,  where  he  continued  lory 
da}S,  as  Mofes  had  done  in  the  mount,  without 
eating  or  drii  king  ;  a.  d  in  this  time  it  is  probable, 
that  he  teceived  his  inftruclions  what  to  preach, 
and  how  to  conduct  him  elf  in  his  important  mif- 
Con.  A'ter  this  followed  what  is  called  hia  temp- 
tation, which  was  probably  a  vifion,  rep?efenong 
the  various  trials  to  which  he  would  beexpoftd 
during  the  courfe  of  his  ininiftry,  guaidmg  I  im 
particularly  againfl  o(lemarion,  ambition,  and  a 
d;  flu  ill  of  providence.  After  thefe  fcenes  he  lived 
for  fome  time  pretty  much  retired,  as  he  had  done 
before;  though,  no  doubt  empluytdin  deep  medi- 
tation on  the  fubjedi  of  his  important  office,  and 
preparing  his  mind  for  it  by  that  fervent  devotion, 
by  which  he  was  ever  diflingufiv  d. 

Though,  in  conf  quence  of  John's  annourc- 
ing  him  to  be  his  fuperior,  a  few  of  his  difciples 
attached  themftlves  to  Jefus  ,and  occafionally  at- 
tended him,  we  have  no  account  of  any  thing  of 
confequence  being  done  by  him  (except  the  mira- 
cle of  changing  water  into  wine  at  a  private  mar- 
riage feaft,  and  thiswas  probably  in  the  autumn 
preceding)   till    after  the  palTover  which  followed 

his 


9t€~t       CHRISTIAN  CHURCH,  ij 

ht.<  btpfiT'D  R  it  on  his  return  to  Galilee  aftct 
thi*  paffover,  lie  gave  his  whole  tirr.e  to  the  in* 
lfrudion  of  all  who  came  in  his  way,  and  per- 
forme  \  the  moll  illuftrious  miracles,    particularly 

omimng  no  opportunity  ot  mowing  rus  own  bene- 
volence, as  weil  as  proving  his  divine  million,  by 
h  almg  a'l  the  fi  k  tint  were  brought  to  him. 
Thus,  after  publiikly  preaching  in  a  lynagogue  at 
Ca  Kinaum  on  the  fabbath-day,  he  cured  a  demo- 
niac who  was  prelent  on  the  occafion,  and  on  the 
fame  day  Peter's  wife's  mother,  who  was  ill  of  a  fe- 
ver, and  in  the  (vcnin^  a  multitude  of  perlons,  af- 
fiid  d  wiih  difeafes  of  various  kinds. 

Thefe  cures  brought  about  him  fj  gieat  a 
concouifeot  people,  that  early  the  next  morning 
he  left  the  town  in  a  private  manner,  and  went  mio 
the  mountainous  part  of  the  country  ;  and  the 
people  (till  flocking  to  him  from  all  the  places  in 
the  neighbourhood,  he  gave  them  moft  excellent 
inflruclions  on  the  fubjecl;  of  morals,  infilling 
chiefly  on  good  difpofitions  of  heart,  upright 
intentions,  and  univerfal  benevo'ence,  even  to 
thofe  who  fhould  hate  and  perfecute  them  ;  and 
being  well  apprized  of  the  general  expectation  of 
his  countrymen,  concerning  the  coining  of  the 
Median,  and  the  ambitious  piofpecls  they  enter- 
tained on  that  account,  he  enlarged  particularly 
on  the  virtues  of  meaknefs,  humility,  and  heaven- 
ly miiidednefs,  as  the  moft  effential  quahficat: 

for 


T2         THE  HISTORY  OF  THE        Per.  I. 

for  that  kingdom  of  God  for  the  eltabhfhmenf  of 
which  they  were  looking.  Knowing  alfo  ijhe  def- 
erence they  had  tor  the  fcribes,  the  nu.^iic  c^acheif 
of  the  law,  he  ftungly  guarded  then  agarnft  ths 
abufes  and  corruptions  which  they  had  introduced! 
into  it  by  their  traditions. 

Toe  doolrine  which  he  *augbt  with  the  greateft 
diftinctnefs  and   ernphalis  wys  that  of  a  future  re 
JurreBion   to   immortal  life,  as    that  which  he  was 
rnoreefpeciallycommiiTioned  torepubJfh  with  ai> 
ditional  evidence:    inform- ng  his  hearers    that    be 
himfelf  was  appointed  of  God  *o  come  again,  a^ 
his  death   and   refurrection,   to  raife   ail  the  d: 
and  to  judge  the  world.     This  racft  import,.-- 
all  doclrines  was  probably  the  original  r--v- 
of  God  toman,  but  not  being  explicitly  coj  i 

in  the  writings  of    Mofes,   whofe  ppmrniifif  i 

another  object,  the  record  of  it  was  loll*;  an     a 

con  fequi.ce 

*  We  find  the  belief  of  a  refurreclicn  amung  the 
Jews  in  the  time  of  our  Saviour,  and  in  that  ot  the- 
Maccabees  long  before  him,  fo  that  it  was  probably  the 
faith  of  that  nation  in  all  former  times,  as  it  continues 
to  be  fo  to  this  day.  Our  Saviour  only  cprpc  ed  fome 
miftakes  concerning  it.  Now  this  is  a  do&rine  otfo 
extraordinary  a  nature,  that  it  could  never  have  been 
ciifcovered,  or  even  imagined,  by  men,  and  therefore 
luuft  have  been  derived  from  fome  revelation.  And  as 
we  have  no  account  of  fuch  a  revelation  in  the  fcriptures 


Sec.  I.  CHRISTIAN  CHURCH.  ,3 

confcqucnce  of  this,  though  the  belief  of  it  was  jC- 
tained  by  the  body  pf  : lie  Jcwifh  union  it  . 
disbelieved  by  fome,  an  1  much  corrupted  bv  01 
the  Pharifces  particularly  imagining  that  men 
were  to  have  wives  in  a  future  date,  and  to  hve  in 
other  refpedls  as  they  had  done  here.  Befid/  s  t  or- 
refting  this  miftake,  and  informing  us  that,  in  the 
future  world,  men  are  to  be  as  the  angels  of  God. 
and  to  live  without  ptopagiing  their  fpecies,  Jelus 
taught  no  peculiar  articles  ol  faith.  In  every  thing 
that  was  of  importance,  fuch  as  the  unity  of  God, 
and  the  placability  of  his  nature,  the  Jews  had 
been  fufficiently  in  drafted  by  Mofes  and  the  pro- 
phets. Thefe,  therefore,  he  adumed  as  fixed  pnn- 
ciples ;  and  in  all  his  difcourtes  and  parables, 
which  were  admirably  calculated  to  ftnke  the  ima- 
gination 

of  the  Old  Teftament,  it  mufl  have  been  prior  to   he 
writing  of  any  of  thofe  books;  though,  beingw  U  known 
to  the  -writers,  and  to  the  nation  in  general,  it  has   fe 
happened  that  they  have  not  mentioned  it.     Had  a  d  I  • 
covery  of  fo  great  importance   been  made  to  mankind 
after  the  time  of  Mofes,  or  indeed  after  the  flood,   and 
before    the  Babylomfh  captivity,  we   mould  cert 
have  had  fome  account  of  it  in  the  Old  Tedame 
1  ir, finitely  more  moment  than  any  thing 
ed  there.     On  thisiubject  1  refer  my  readers  to  a  differ- 
latloa  of  mine  on  %h$  b.rjwhdge  thqt  the 
had  of  a  futuce  state. 


i4        THE  HISTORY  OF  THE       pEn.l. 

gination.  and  to  imprcfs  th<*  memory  and  the 
heart,  the  truth  of  them  was  taken  for  granted,  as 
What  woald  be  admitted  by  all  his  heareis.  The 
pure  morality  that  he  taught  was  uniformly  exem- 
plified in  his  own  life,  which  was  a  pattern  oi  the 
greateft  moderation,  benevolence,  and  piety,  He 
declined  no  labour,  in  continually  going  about 
doing  good  ;  he  made  no  cflentatious  difplay  of 
his  miraculous  powers  he  fpent  much  ot  his 
time  in  humb7e  prayer,  and  upon  all  eccafions 
tefiified  his  intire  fubmifTion  to  the  will  ot  God. 

It  is  liot  a  little  remaikablc  (hat.  though  Jtfus 
plainly  and  repeatedly  informed  his  difciplea  that 
he  fhould  be  put  to  death,  and  rife  again  -.  n  the 
third  day,  they  did  not  undeiftand  him  ;  £1  ill  fup- 
pofing  that,  as  he  was  the  Mtfhah,  he  would  foon 
appear  in  the  character  of  a  king;  and  they  were 
more  than  once  difputing  among  themfelves  who 
fhould  enjoy  the  chief  places  ot  honour  and  power 
in  his  kingdom.  But  as  he  was  ufed  to  fpeak  to 
them  in  a  figurative  manner,  they  probably  thought 
that  by  death  he  meant  feme  fcenes  of  difficulty  and 
trial,  and  that  his  furmouniing  them  was  all  that 
was  meant  by  his  rcJurreElion.  For  when  he 
was  apprehended,  and  put  to  death,  they  gave  up 
all  iheir  expectations  horn  him,  never  fuppofing 
that  they  fhould  fee  him  any   more  ;  and  wnen  he 

.   did 


Sec    I.  CHRISTIAN  CHURCH  iS 

did  appear  to  them  after  Ii is  r<.  fum' inn,  they 
couU  ha»dlv  believe  the  interesting  fu£t  on  tiu  evi- 
dence of  their  own  (enfes. 

T  ie  miracles  of  [elu.s  wee  chiefly  of  a  benevo- 
lent nature,  con  fid  og  of  healing  dtfeafes,  an  I 
c'«ally  fuch  as  were  fe|  lorn  k?,o  vn  to  \  e  relieved 
bv  medicine,  at  lead  ma  Qi  >rt  fp  ice  pi  ttt^e,  as 
blmdnefs,  lepr-fy,  pil(v,  and  infanity,  which  in 
that  a^c  was  ufually  afenbed  to  the  influence  of 
den)  s;  and  there  are  three  accounts  of  his  railing 
pei  Tons  trom  the  dead.  To  relieve  the  wants  of  Lis 
auditors,  in  a  place  where  no  proyifions  were  to 
be  had,  he  twice  fed  a  ^reat  multitude  with  a  fmall 
quantity  of  bread  and  fifhs,    more  being  left   than 

there  was  when  he  began  to  diflribute. 

A    few  of  his  m-racles    feem   to   have  I.ad  no 

other  objccl;  than  to  (hew  the  power  that  was  given 
him  over  the  laws  of  nature,  as  his  dilling  a  tem- 
ped, and  walking  on  the  fea,  as  well  as  his  chang- 
ing water  into  wine,  mentioned  before.  Miracles 
of  this  kind,  however,  would  tend  to  infpire  his 
difciples  with  the  greated  confidence  in  the  divine 
power  which  attended  him,  and  encourage  them  in 
preaching  his  religion,  no tiviih (landing  all  the 
dangers  to  which  thay  fhould  beexpofed  ;  pcrfuad- 
ed  that,  if  they  were  not  delivered  from  any  p  irti- 
cular  didrefs,  it  was  becaufe  the  intereft  of  the  re- 
;ioh  they  taught  made  their  fiifFerings  more  expe- 
dient 


16         THE  HISTORY  OF  THE        Per.!. 

dfeht,  Ad  their  matter  had  always  forewarned 
them  that  rhev  were  not  to  expect  their  reward  in 
this  world.  On  the  contrary,  he  plainly  told 
ffierii  that  none  would  be  confiiercd  as  his  di  Tri- 
ples, who  would  noi  be  ready  to  give  up  their  lives 
!  her  than  renounce  their  religion;  and  that  if 
rmy  perfon  fhould  dm  him,  or  be  afhamed  of 
liim,  in  any  circumlbnce.  he  would  deny  him  to 
be  his  difciple  when  he  fhould  come-in  histo- 
ry. 

B  fides  th?  voice  from  heaven  at  the  baptifm 

cr  Tefus,  he  Had  a  more  e&prefs  divine  atteftation 
of  the  fame  kind  upon  a  mountain  in  Galilee,  in 
th  pretence  ol :  thiee  of  his  apoftrefc,  Paer,  James, 
and  John;  when  he  appeared  in  great  glory,  (ur- 
rounded  by  that  bright  cloud  which  was  the  fym- 
bol  of  the  divine  pn  fence  in  the  time  of  Mofes, 
unpanied  by  Moles  himfelf  and  Elias,  who 
urfed  with  him  about  his  future  fufferings, 
probably  to  encourage  him  to  go  through  a  fcene 
fo  painful  and  humiliating,  and  at  the  fame  time 
Co  fir  gu]ar  in  its  kind  ;  as  he  was  to  exemplify  in 
his  own  perfon  the  doclrine  which  he  taught,  viz. 
of  a  refurreftion  to  immorral  Hfe,  being,  as  he  is 
called,  the  fin  ft  fruits  jr  cm  the  dead.  This  remark- 
able fcene  was  clofed  with  a  repetition  of  the  voice 
from  heaven,  Matt.  xvii.  5.  This  is  mybehved  Son, 
in  whom  Tern  well  pleajed,  Hear yt  him,     Alfo  a 

few 


Sec.  I.  CHRISTIAN  CHURCH.  ij 

few  days  before  his  death,  when  being  in  the  tem- 
ple, in  the  p\  effcOQe  of  a  great  number  of  people,  and 
praying,  he  bad  laid  Fithcr,  glorify  thy  name, 
John  xii.  2*  there  came  a  voice  from  heaven,  faying, 
I  have  b  thglorijud  it,  and  will  glorify  it  again. 
This  voice  was  Co  loud,  that  tome  of  the  peopie 
who  were  not  near  en  ugh  to  diftinguifh  the  words, 
thought  that  it  thundered,  but  others,  perceiving 
the  founds  to  be  articulate,  laid  that  an  angel  fpake 
to  h  m. 

Notwithstanding  the  fplendour  of  his  miracles, 
Jefus  was  iar  from  arrogating  any  thing  to  himfelf, 
but  always  afcribed  his  extraordinary  works  to  his 
God  and  Father,  who  fent  him,  and  a&ed  by  him, 
and  to  whofe  will  he  was  at  all   times  perfectly  re- 
figned.     Together  with  fentiments  of  the  mod  ge- 
nuine piety,   he  difcovered  evident  marks  of  great 
fenfibiiiy  ot  mind,  and  of  a  tender  companionate 
difpofition  ;  feeling    for  his  difciples    and  others, 
and  a' tending  to  them  much  more  than  to  himfelf. 
Thus,  when  he  accompanied  the  friends  ot  Lazarus 
to  his  grave,  and  faw  them  in  tears,  he  wept    alfo, 
though   he  was  juil   going  to  raife  him  from  thj 
dead.      When  little  children  were  brought  to  him, 
he  not  only  bleiled  them,  but  took  them  up  in  his 
arms  to  do    it.      Foretelling  the  ruin  that  was  to 
come  upon  his  nation,  and  efpecially  the  deflruc- 
tion  of  the  city  of  Jerufalem  (which,  as  a  prophet, 
Vox,  I.  C  he 


i8         THE  HISTORY  OFTHE         Fir.  L 

he  had  particu'arlv  defcribed)  and  viewing  it  from 
fome  diftance,  he  wept  over  it  •  and  as  he  was  led 
to  crucifixion,  he  bid  the  women  who  accompani- 
ed him,  and  lamented  over  him.  not  to  weep  for 
him,  but  for  themfelves,  and  fotf  their  children,  on 
account  of  the  calamities  that  would  certainly  befall 
them. 

Notwithflanding  the  great  and  benevolent 
works,  continually  performed  by  jcfus,  and  his 
popularity  with  the  common  people  on  that  ac- 
count •  yet,  as  he  paid  no  court  to  the  leading  men 
of  the  nation,  but,  on  the  a  ntrary,  omitted  no 
opportunity  of  expofmg  their  ambition  and  other 
vices,  and  frequently  upbraided  them  before  the 
people  whole  good  opinion  they  affected,  he  in- 
curred their  utmofl  indignation.  Their  prejudi- 
ces would  not  fuffer  them  to  believe  that  fuch  a 
perfon  as  he  could  be  their  piomifed  Median,  and 
they  afcribed  the  moft  wonderful  of  his  works,  that 
of  curing  demoniacs  (and  probably  the  reft  alio) 
to  the  power  of  Satan.  Thus  blinded  by  their 
paflions,  after  many  confultations  what  to  do,  they 
determined  to  put  him  to  death,  and  at  length  re- 
folved  to  do  it  by  a  public  trial  and  execution. 
As  this  mud  have  been  effedled  by  the  Roman 
power,  they  could  not  doubt  but  the  fame  power, 
if  they  could  engage  it's  interference  in  the  cafe, 
would  fupport  them  in  the  meafure,  and  carry  them 

through  it  in  all  its  confeqajences, 

This 


Sec.  I.  CHRISTIAN  CHURCH.         j<, 

This    purpofe  of  theirs  was   favoured    by    the- 
baic treachery  of   Judas  Ifcariot,  one  of  his  apoftli 
who  had    been    offended  at  a  reproof  which    ]cfus 
gave  him,  when  he  had  complained  of  the  expenoe 
of  a  quantity  of  valuable    ointment,    which  Mary 
the  fitter  of  Lazarus  bad  poured  upon  his  head,  at 
the  lad   entertainment    at    which  he    was  prefent. 
Judas   had  perhaps  given  up  all  idea  of  Jefus  be- 
ing a  king,    or,    at    lead,    of    any  g'e^t  advantage 
accruing  to  himfclf  from  adhering  to  him.  and  in  a 
fit  of  refentment  (which,  however,  lafled  fome  days) 
he  agreed  with  the  chief  rulers,  for  a  fum   of  mo- 
nev,  to  fhew  them  how  they  might  apprehend  him 
without  alarming  the  multitude,  and  by  night ;  fo 
that,  however  difpofed,  the  common  people  would 
have  no  opportunity   of  interfering   in  his  behalf. 
It  was  accordingly  done  about  midnight,  in  a  gar- 
den, at  a  fmall  di fiance  from  the  city,  whither  Je- 
fus, diftinclly  forefeeing  all  that  was  coming  upon 
him,   had    retired   to  pafs  the  dreadful  interval  in 
prayer.      Feeling  like  a  man  andcr  the  fulled  view 
of  his  approaching  painful  death,  and  al  the  igno- 
minious ciicuinllances   attending   it,  he  was  for  a 
time  in  an  agony  of  diftrefs  ;   through    the    whole 
of  wi  ich  he,  however,  preferved  a  purpofe,  never 
for  a  moment  to  betaken,  of  abfolute  refignation 
to  the   will  of  God  ;  and  after  this  he  perfectly  re- 
covered 


so  THE  HISTORY  OF  THE      Per.  I. 

covered  the  compofure  of  his  mind,  and  it  never 
quitted  him  to  the  laft. 

Being  apprehended  by  an  armed  force,  after 
fhewing  that  it  was  in  his  power  to  have  relcued 
himfelf,  he  fubmitted  to  be  conducted  to  the  houfe 
of  the  high  pried,  and  then  before  the  fanhedrim, 
the  chief  court  of  judicature  in  the  country,  which 
was  alTembled  for  the  purpofe  in  the  precincls  of 
the  temple.  There,  not  knowing  what  charge  to 
bring  againft  him,  on  which  they  could  fentence 
him  to  death,  his  judges  haftily  took  up  that  of 
blafphemy,  accufing  him  of  fpeskmg  lightly  of  the 
temple,  which  they  might  think  was  tnojft  likely 
to  dedroy  his  interefl  with  the  common  peopie. 
But  not  being  able  to  prove  this  charge,  he  in^h 
pried,  who  prefided  in  the  court,  folen.nly  afked 
him  whether  he  was  the  M<  ffiah  ;  and  upon  bis 
acknowledging  it  the  majoruy  ot  them  voted  his 
death,  on  the  idea  of  his  having  arrogated  to  himfelf 
a  high  office  from  God  which  did  not  belong  to 
him.  On  this  Judas,  who  had  betrayed  him,  was 
druck  with  fuch  remorfe,  that  he  immediately  went 
into  the  court,  threw  down  the  money  tha  he  had 
received  as  the  reward  of  his  fervices  in  apprehend- 
ing him,  faying,  /  have  betrayed  innocent  blood, 
and  then  went  and  hanged  >nmfelf.  There  could 
be  no  greater  proof  of  the  innocence  ol  Jefus,  and 
that  his  difciples,  who  were  the  bed  acquainted 
with  his  conduct,  knew  of  no  evil  in  him. 

Notwitbdanding 


Sec.  I.       CHRISTIAN  CHURCH.  2l 

Notwithflandin^  this  condemnation,  the  \*wk 

being  fubjc6i  to  the  Romans,  had  not  the  pa 
of  executing  their  lemencr,  and  therefore  accufed 
him  to  Pilate  the  R  man  govenor,  of  trcafun  a- 
gainfl  the  (late,  in  attaining  the  character  of  a  king; 
for  fuch,  in  their  opinion,  the  Mefhah  w;k.  Pilate 
faw  the  malice  of  the  Jews,  and  the  peii-  «  i  inno- 
cence of  Jefus  ;  but  wifhing  to  gain  favour  * 
the  leading  men  of  the  nation.,  whom  nothing  left 
than  the  death  of  Jefus  would  fatisfy,  a(ier  doing 
every  thing  that  he  could  to  fave  him  (at  leaft  to 
exprefs  his  perfuafion  of  Ins  innocence)  be  gave 
orders  for  his  crucifixion,  which  was  the  mode  of 
death  for  which  the  Jews  had  been  particularly 
clamorous,  it  being  that  to  which  the  Romans  had 
been  ufed  to  fentence  the  moft  infamous  crimi- 
nals. 

This  fcene  of  a  painful  and  lingering  death, 
preceded  by  a  cruel  fcourging.  and  every  mode  of 
infult  and  abufe,  both  by  the  officers  of  the  Jew», 
and  the  Roman  foldiers,  Jefus  went  through  (as  he 
had  done  both  his  trials)  with  the  moct  perfect  com- 
pofure,  and  without  exprefftng  any  refentmnt. 
And  this  is  the  more  extraordinary,  as  his  preced- 
ing agony  in  the  garden  (hewed  that  he  was  pof- 
felled  of  the  moft  exquilite  lenfibihty.  He  had 
even  the  benevolence,  and  prefence  of  mind,  to 
pray  for  his  executioners,  that  God  would  forgive 

them, 


22         THE  HISTORY  OF  THE      Per.  I. 

hem,  fince  they  knezo  net  what  they  did,  and  only 
executed  the  orders  of  their  iupcriors.  When  he 
hung  upon  the  crofs,  with  that  affection  to  his 
friends  ot  which  he  had  given  the  greatefl  proofs 
in  all  his  convcifation  with  them  on  the  evening 
before  his  death,  and  which  never  forfook  him,  he 
committed  his  mother  to  the  care  of  his  difciple 
John  ;  and  in  his  laft  w ords  rtfigned  his  life  into 
the  hands  of  his  God  and  Father,  who.  lie  was  con- 
fident, would  foon  re  (lore  it  to  him  again. 

This  tranquility,  with  which  he  fubmitted  to 
death,  is  an  evidence  of  his  firm  alTurance  of  rifing 
again ;  and  as  the  hiftory  of  his  life,  and  efp^cially 
of  the  laft  fcenesof  it,  clearly  proved  that  he  was  no 
enthufiajl,  it  may  be  pronounced  a  tranquility 
which  could  never  have  been  attained  by  any  man, 
in  thofe  circumflanccs,  without  the  beft  grounded 
perfuafion  of  the  truth  of  his  divine  million;  His 
whole  behaviour  fhewed  fuch  dignity  offentiment, 
fuch  benevolence,  and  piety,  as  is  incompatible 
with  either  a  weak  or  a  wicked  mind.  No  enthufi- 
aft,  or  imooftor,  could  have  conducted  himfelf  as 
he  did  ;  and  they  muft  cither  have  given  no  atten- 
tion to  the  incidents,  or  be  utter  ft  rangers  to  the 
feelings  of  human  nature,  who  can  fuppofe  that  he 
was  either  the  one  or  the  other. 

The  manner  in  which  Jefus  died  was  peculiar- 
ly favourable  toihedefign  of  providence,    which 

was 


S£c.  I.  CHRISTIAN  CHURCH 

was  to  make  the  mod  diflin  juifh  ;d  preacher  ol 

do&rinc  of  a  rcluirc&ion  himfell  a  proof  ol  I 
fact.  He  died  in  public,  and  by  the  hands  ot  bit 
enemies,  to  whom  he  was  dtliverdd  up  lor 
that  purpole.  The  reality  of  his  death,  therefore, 
could  not  be  queflioned,  and  his  rdurrcciion  was 
proved  by  the  abundant  evidence  of  thofe  who  heft 
knew  him,  and  who  were  therefore  the  beft  judges 
of  the  tatr,  and  who  had  no  more  expectation  of  it 
than  his  adversaries,  and  accordingly  exprefledai 
much  furprize  at  it  as  they  could  have  done.  On 
this  mod  unexceptionable  evidence  is  the  great 
truth  of  the  refurreclhm  ot  J<  fas  moft  firmly  efla- 
bhfhed.  The  mofl  difficult  to  be  convinced  ol  it 
were  the  apoftles  themfelvcs.  When  they  were 
informed  that  he  had  actually  appeared  to  fome  ve- 
ry refpe6table  women  of  their  acquaintance,  they 
treated  the  report  as  an  idle  tale,  and  did  not  be- 
lieve it.  One  of  thern  was  fo  unreafonably  incre- 
dulous, that  the  teflimony  of  ten  o^  his  brother 
apoftles  would  not  fatisfy  him,  nor  any  thing  lefs 
than  his  own  feeing   and   handling  his  rifen  maf- 

ter. 

Jefus  continued  after  his  refurreftion  to  appear 

to  his  difciples,  at  intervals,    for  the  (pace  of  forty 

days,  fo    that  there  was  fufficient  time  for  them  to 

recoiled  themfclves  and  to  fatisfy   themfelves  with 

refpeft  to  the  faft,  in  whatever  tnannerthey  fhould 
r  think 


24         THE  HISTORY  OF  THE      Psr.  I. 

think  proper.      His    firft  appearances  were  made 
when   they    did    not  expect    him,   and    therefore 
could   not  irnpofe   upon  themfelves  by  their  vain 
hopes,  aud  others    were  by  exprefs  appointment, 
when  they  had  fufficient  opportunity  Jor  confider- 
in^    what   would    fatisfy    them,  and  of  procuring 
that  fatisfa&ion  at  their  full  leifure ;  and  the  con'fe- 
quence  was  fuch  a  firm  perfuafion  in  them  all,  of 
the  actual  rcfurrection  of  their  mailer,  and  confe- 
quently  of  the  truth  of  his  pi omifes  concerning  his 
fc.cond  coming,  to   raife  the  dead  and  judge  the 
wc-rld   (when    they   would   again  enjoy    his:  foci- 
el  y.    in   a    flate    of  happintis   and  glory    which 
would  have    no   end)    as    carried  them    through 
difficulties  and  luflenngs   as  great  as  he   himfelf 
had    experienced,     and   gave   fuch   an    eflablifh- 
ment    to    the  chriftian  religion,  as   that  nothing 
in  the  power  of  its  mod  violen:  enemies,  and  of  the 
world,  could  overturn  it. 

Jefusfirft  (hewed  himfelf  to  Mary  Magdalen, 
who  was  fo  far  from  expecting  uch  an  interview, 
that  fhe  was  one  of  thofe  who  had  been  at  great 
expence  in  purchafing  fpices  o  embalm  him,  and 
when  ihe  -fir (I  faw  him  took  him  to  be  the  gardener. 
Before  this,  on  finding  the  fepulchre  open,  (he  had 
run  and  told  the  apoftles  of  fuch  an  unfufpected 
circumftanee,  and  Peter  and  John  had  fet  out  to- 

gether  to  go  to  the  place;  when  John,  outrunning 

Peter, 


Sec.  I.       CHRISTIAN  CHURCH. 

Peter,  and  going  into  the  fepukhrc,  judged,  fion 
the  manner  in  which  he  law  the  grave  cloaths  dif- 
pofed  of,  that  the  body  had  not  been  carried  away 
by  force,  but  that  theie  had  been  a  real  reiurre&ion. 
Peter,  howevtr,  does  not  feem  to  have  been  con- 
vinced of  it  till  Jefus  appeared  lo  himfclf,  which 
he  did  (ometime  on  that  day,  after  he  had  firft  ap- 
peared to  Mary  Magdalen,  and  by  her  ha]  fent  a 
meirage  to  the  apoftles,  informing  them  that  he 
would  give  them  the  meeting  in  Galilee. 

After  this  he  appeared  to  two  of  the  difciples 
as  they  were  walking  to  a  village  in  the  neighbour- 
hood of  Jerufalem.  The  fame  evening  he  appear- 
ed as  unexpectedly  to  all  the  apoflles,  except 
Thomas  ;  the  Sunday  following  to  him  with  them, 
and  (bine  time  after  in  Galilee  to  Peter,  and  other- 
who  were  in  a  (hip  fifhing,  and  then  to  more  thai 
five  hundred  of  the  difciples  at  once.  Heal  Co  appear 
ed  fepaia  ely  to  James,  but  when  or  where  is  no, 
certain.  Laftly,  he  met  the  apoiiles  ]an  J  many  other's 
alter  iheir  return  to  Jerulalem ;  and  having  con- 
verfed  with  them  at  leifure,  and  co;idu£ted  then* 
as  far  as  the  mount  of  Olives,  he  afcended  abovi 
the  clouds  in  their  fight ;  two  angels  (landing  by 
and  informing  thofc  who  were  prefent,  that  in  th 
lame  manner  in  which  they  then  faw  Jefus  goin, 
up  to  heaven,  they  would  fee  him  return  again  Iron 

heaven. 
Vol.  I.  D  The 


26        THE  HISTORY  OF  THE       Per.  I. 

The  enemies  of  chnftianity  frequently  a(k  why 
Tefus   did    not  appear  to  the  leading  men    of  the 
Jeu  ifh    nation,    after  he  was  rifen  from  the  dead. 
But    conGdering  the   part  which  they  had  a&ed, 
this  would  have   had  the  appearance  of  an  infult, 
unbecoming  the  dignity  of  our  Lord's  character  *r 
and  the    evidence    of   his   refurredlicn,    which,  if 
they  had  been  fo  difpofed,  they  might  eafily  have 
made   themfelves   acquainted  with,    was  fufficient 
to  fatisfy  all    who  were  truly  unprejudiced.     Be- 
fides,  had  fuch  an  appearance  as  unbelievers   now 
demand  actually  convinced  all  the  Jewifh  rulers, 
and  the  whole  nation,  fo  that  they  had  all  imme- 
diately   become    chriflians,   the  flory  would  have 
been  lefs  credible  at  this  day,  and  in  all  future  time. 
For  it  might  then  have  been  faid,  with  great  plau- 
fibility,  that  the  whole  might  have  been  a  fabrica- 
tion of  the  Jews,  and   that  the  evidence  of  the  re- 
furreclion  of    Jefus   had   never    been   rigoroufly 
examined  at  the  time.     But  no  fuch  objection  can 
now  be  made  to  this  important  part  of  the  chriflian 
hiftory.     It  is  now  evident  that  it  was  the  intereil; 
both  of  the  friends  and  of  the  enemies  of  chriflian- 
ity  to  examine  mod  rigoroufly  into   the  truth  of 
the  refurreftion,  and  that  the  belief  of  it  continued 
to  gain  ground  notwithstanding.     They  who  were 
then  the  enemies  of  chriflianity  would,  no  doubt, 
have  refuted  the  flory  if  it  had  been  in  their  power  ; 

and 


Sec.  I.         CHRISTIAN  CHURCH.  %j 

atul  being  the  leading  men  of  the  countiy.  they 
had  every  advantage  for  lo  doiqg.  On  the 
other  hand,  the  friends  of  chriflianity  wo  :U  not 
have  facrificcd  their  fortunes,  their  iibeity,  »ad 
their  lives,  lor  the  truth  of  a  facl,  of  which  they 
had  not  had  the  mod  convincing  evidence. 


SECTION.     II, 


From    the  Afcenfion   of  Jefus  to  the  Conversion  of 

Paul. 


T 


HE  direction  that  Jefus  gave  to  his 
difciples  before  his  afcenfion  was,  that  they  (hould 
continue  at  Jerufalem  till  they  fhould  receive  the 
gift  of  the  holy  fpifit,  and  be  thereby  endued  with 
power  jrcra  on  high.  In  confequence  of  this,  they 
affociated  together,  to  the  number  of  about  one 
hundred  and  twenty,  and  at  the  motion  of  Peter, 
ihey,  by  prayer  and  cafting  of  lots,  chofe  Matthi- 
as to  fucceed  Judas  in  the  office  of  apoftlc,  there 
being  another  candidate,  whofe  name  was  Jofepn 
called  alfo  Barfabas,  and  furnamed  Juftus.  The 
requifites  to  the  office  of  apoltlj  were  their  havin.; 
at'ended  Jefus  from  the  beginning  of  his  mini 

till 


23        THE  HISTORY  OFTHE        Per.  I. 

till  his  afcenfion,  and  especially  their  having  been 
witnctics  of  his  tefurre6tfor£     A61s  i.  26. 

On  the  day  of  pen  ecoft.  ten  days  after  the  af- 
cenfion, the  apollles  and  other  difciples  being  af- 
iemblcd  as  ufual  in  one  room,  pretty  early  in  the 
morning,  the  promife  of  their  mailer  was  fulfilled 
by  what  was  called  the  defcent  of  the  holy  Jpirit  up- 
on them  all.  There  was  the  found  of  a  rufliing 
mighty  wind,  filling  the  whole 'houfe,  and  the  ap- 
pearance of  fire  upon  the  heads  of  all  the  compa- 
ny, followed  by  a  power  of  fpeaking  in  languages 
which  they  had  not  learned,  and  lb  intelligibly, 
that  a  great  number'of  various  nations,  drawn  to- 
gether by  the  report,  perfectly  underflood  what 
they  faid,;  and  were  aftonifhed  above  meafure  to 
hear  perfons  who  were  well  known  to  be  Galileans 
and  unlearned,  fpeak  the  praifes  of  God  in  fuch  a 
variety  of  languages* 

Same  of  the  croud,  who  were  probably  igno- 
rant of  any  language  except  their  own,  hearing 
voices  that  were  unintelligible  to  them,  faid  that 
the  difciples  were  drunk.  But  Peter,  who  heard 
his  remark,  began  to  fpeak  to  the  multitude,  and 
obferve,  that  what  they  had  heard  could  not  be  the 
cffeQ;  of  drunkennefs,  becaufe  it  was  early  in  the 
day,  when  it  was  not  cuftomary  for  any  perfons  to 
be  intoxicated.  This  was  a  proper  anfwer  to  thofe 
who  did  not  undeiftand  the  languages  in  which  the 

difciples 


Sec.  II.         CHRISTIAN  CHURCH, 


2* 


difciples    fpokc.     Others  mud  have    beetl    abun- 
dantly convinced,   tli.it  the   cfFect  elf  intoxication 
could  not  be  the  diiUncl  fpeakiag   of    langu 
which  men  had  never  learned. 

After  this,  Peter  informing  them  that  the  feerc 
at  which  they  were  prefent  was  an  event  foretold 
by  the  prophet  Joel,  began  to  aflure  them  of  the 
refurreclion  of  Jcfus,  whom  they  had  crucifi- d.  ol 
whirh  himfelf  and  all  his  company  weie  witndTesj 
and  that  it  was  in  fulfilment  of  his  promile  that, 
being  now  exalted  at  the  right  hand  ot  God,  he 
had  imoaited  to  them  this  gift  of  the  holy  fpirit  In 
confirmation  of  their  evidence  of  the  ref::i 
he  likewife  obferved  Jiat  it  was  agreeable  to  • 
fcriptures,  that  the  Me  Hah  mould  die  and  rifi  i- 
gain.  Of  this  event  he  faid  that  they,  who  were 
the  bed  acquainted  with  him,  and  had  repeated^ 
feen  and  converfed  with  him,  were  the  m>.l  pro- 
per witnefTcs  ;  but  as1  to  his  miracles  whilfl  lie  was 
alive,  and  which  pr  wed  him  to  be  a  prophet  (or 
as  he  expreflfed  bimfeif,  a  man  approved  cf  G<>d,  by 
miracles  ai. d  wonders,  ana  sigm  which  God,  did  by 
him)  he  appealed  to  themselves,  fince  they  had 
been  wrought  among  them,  and  had  never  been 
queflioned.  After  this  he  exhorted  them  to  re- 
pent of  their  fins,  and  be  baptized;  affuritrg  thetil 
that  then   they  would  receive  the    fame  gift  of  the 

holy 


3o         THE  HISTORY  OF  THE       Per.  I. 

holy  fpirit  which  had  been  imparted  to  himfelf  and 
his  companions. 

Such  an  effect  was  produced  by  this  extraordinary 
appearance,  and  the  fpeech  of  Peter,  appealing  to 
their  own  perfect  knowledge  of  the  miracles  of  Jc- 
fus,  that  about  three  thoufand  perfons  openly  join» 
ed  them  and  were  baptized,  making  one  body 
with  them  ;  and  to  exprefs  their  harmony  and  fel- 
low (hip,  the  rich  freely  imparted  of  their  fupeifluity 
to  the  poor  and  many  of  them  even  fold  their  e- 
flatcs,  to  make  a  common  flock  for  that  benevolent 
purpofe.  From  this  time  many  miracles  (though 
they  are  not  particularly  fpecified  in  the  hiflory) 
being  wrought  by  the  apoflles,  numbers  were 
profclyted  every  day  ;  and  their  behaviour  was  fo 
irreproachable,  that  they  were  held  in  high  efleenn 
by  thofe  of  the  people  who  did  not  openly  join 
them.     A£ls  ii. 

Nothing  of  this,  it  is  cafy  to  obferve,  could 
poffibly  have  taken  place,  if  it  had  been  in  the 
power  cf  the  chief  rulers,  and  the  enemies  of  Jefus, 

to  have  denied  either  his  miracles,   or  thofe  of  the 
apoftlesj  and  efpecially  if  they  could  have  refuted 

their  account  of  his  rcfu-rcc-ticn.   That  they  would 

have  done  every  thing  that  was   in  their  power  to 

difpiovc  all  thefe,  we  cannot  doubt,  when  we  con- 

fider   how   inveterate    they  had  juft  before  (hewn 

thdttfe!vcs  agajrifl    Jefus;   carrying  their  rage  fo 

far 


Sec  if.         CHRISTIAN  CHURCH. 

far  as  tocaufehim  to  be  put  to  dtatft,  though  they 
could    prove  nothing   criminal   agiinfl  him.     In 

thefe  circum (lances,  the  miracles  of  Jcfus  and  of 
the  apofllf  s  being  unqueftioncd,  arid  the  tcflimony 
of  fuch  a  number  of  pcrlons,  the  mod  competent 
witneffes  of  the  re  fur  rift  ion  of  fefus,  being  unani- 
mous, and  uncontradicted,  it  is  no  wonder  that 
ne  7  converts  were  continually  made  ;  and  that  the 
heads  of  the  nation  were  for  a  time  overawed,  and, 
made  no  oppofition,  though  they  were  (truck  with 
mortification,  and  filled  with  rage.  At  the  fame 
time  it  mud  be  obferved,  that  the  flrong  prejudice 
in  favour  of  the  Median  being  a  temporal  prince, 
affefting  the  common  people  as  well  as  their  ru- 
lers, nothing  but  the  moll  irreudible  evidence 
could  have  made  them  abandon  fo  favourite  an 
idea,  and  openly  profefs  their  faith  in  the  meffiah- 
fliip  of  a  man  who  had  been  crucified,  and  whom 
they  could  not   expecl   to  fee   any    more   in    this 

world. 

Some  time  after,  as  Peter  and  John  were  go- 
ing to  the  temple,  at  the  time  of  evening  prayer (or 
our  three  in  the  afternoon)  a  man  known  to  have 
been  a  cripple  from  his  birth,  and  who  fat  day  after 
day  at  the  gate  of  the  temple  to  ask  alms,  begged 
their  charity,  as  well  as  that  ot  others  who  were  en- 
tering into  the  temple.  On  this,  Peter,  looking 
carnefily  on  him.  and  feeling,  no  doubt,  a  divine 

irnpulfe 


a2         THE  HISTORY  OF  THE      Pe*.  I. 

imoulfe  oh  his  mind,  faid,  "  Silver  and  gold  1 
"  haVe  none,  but  fuch  as  I  have  give  I  thee.  In  the 
'•  r-ame  oi  TefUs  Chrift  of  Nazav^fh  rife  up  and 
«  wait  ;"  immediately  on  which  die  poor  man  find- 
ing that  he  had  the  perfea  ufe  of  his  limbs,  leaped 
tip,  and  Hood  upright;  going  with  them  into  the 
temole,  (hewing  the  greateft  agility,   and   praifing 

God. 

This  being  done  in  the  prefer.ce  of  a  great  mul- 
titude, who  well  knew  the  condition  he  had  been 
in  ((or  he  was  forty  years  old,  and  his  difeafe  iuch 
as  was  evidently  incurable  by  any  natural  means) 
and  therefore  fatisfied  that  a  real  miracle  had  been 
wrought,  Peter  improved  the  occafion  to  addrefs 
them  to  the  fame  purport  as  before;  informing  them 
that  it  was  by  no  power  of  his  own  that  the  man 
who  then  flood  before  them  had  been  healed,  but 
by  that  power  of  God,  by  which  he  confirmed 
the  divine  million  of  Jefus,  whom  they  had  killed, 
but  whom  God  had  raifed  to  life;  of  which  Peter 
again  allured  them  that  he  and  his  brethren  were 
witnefTes ;  and  that,  this  Jefus  being  now  afcended 
into  heaven,  would  continue  there  till  the  time  of 
the  reftitution  of  all  things.  Many  of  the  per- 
fons  prefent  weie  greatly  impreiled  by  his  dif- 
courie,  and  made  public  profeffion  of  the  chriflian 

faith, 


Sec  II.         CHRISTIAN  CHURCH. 


33 


faith,  fo  that  then  the  number  of  the  difciples,  c\-- 
clufive  of  the  women  among  them,    wai  about  i 
thoufand.      A  els  iii.  4. 

The  governor  of  the  temple,  and  the  Saddu- 
cees,  feeing  the  crouds  in  the  place,  and  being  ex- 
ceedingly mortified  at  thefe  tflc6ls  of  the  preaching 
of  the  apoflles,  could  not  reft  rain  thcmfelvcs  any 
longer,  and  apprehended  them.  It  being  then 
evening,  they  were  brought  the  next  morning  be- 
fore the  high-prieft  and  the  council,  who  afked 
them  by  what  power,  and  by  what  name,  they  had 
cured  this  man.  On  this  Peter  boldly  addreff- 
cd  the  court,  and  told  them  that  it  was  by  the 
name  oi  Jefus  Chrift  of  Nazareth,  whom  they  had 
crucified,  but,  whom  God  had  raifed  from  the 
dead,  that  the  cure  had  been  effected  ;  intimating 
that  it  was  the  power  of  God  giving  teftimony  to 
his  divine  million  and  theirs. 

The  court  feeing  the  boldncfs  of  Peter  and 
John,  whom  they  knew  to  be  unlearned  men,  and 
not  ufed  to  fpeak  in  public,  and  the  miracle  being 
unqueftionable  (the  man  upon  whom  it  had  been 
wrought  being  prefent)  were  a  little  difconcerted, 
and  ordered  the  apoflles  to  withdraw,  while  they 
conferred  upon  the  fubjeci.  Not  being  able  ^o 
deny  the  fact,  they  agreed  upon  nothing  but  to 
charge  them  not  to  preach  any  more  in  the  name 
Vol.  I.  E  of 


34        THE  HISTORY  OF  THE       Per,  I. 

of  Jefus.  But  Peter  and  John  having  received 
this  injunction,  openly  refufed  to  pay  any  regard 
to  it,  and  appealed  to  thernfelves,  whether  they 
ought  not  to  obey  God,  by  whofe  authority  they 
preached,  rather  than  man.  Unable  to  make  any 
reply  to  this,  the  judges  only  repeated  their  threats, 
'  without  venturing  to  inflict  any  punimment  upon 
them  ;  being  redrained  by  their  fear  of  the  people, 
who  plorified     God    for   what    was    done.     A&s 

iv.  21. 

Being   thus    difmifled,    the  apoftles    went   to 
their    brethren,   and  gave  them  an  account  of  all 
that  had  palled,  on   which  they  joined  in  foJemn 
prayer  and  thanksgiving  to  God  ;  when,  to  encou- 
rage them  the  more,  the  room  in  which  they  were 
affembled  was  fhaken  again,  as  it  had  been  on  the 
day   of  pentecoft,   and  they   were  all    filled  with 
the  holy  fpirit  as  at  the  firft;  fo  that  they  preached 
the  gofpel,  or  the  docirine  of  the  refurre&ion  and 
meffiahfhip  of  Jefus,    with  all  boldnefs,    notwith- 
standing the  threats  of  the  rulers,  who  at  that  time 
durft  not  put  them  in  execution. 

The  infant  chuich,  enjoying  this  peace,  went 
on  increafing  in  numbers  and  in  the  exercife  of  e- 
very  virtue,  with  m  ardour  peculiar  to  that  new  ft  ate 
of  things,  in  which  all  who  openly  embraced  cbwf- 
tianity,  with  very  fev?  exceptions,  did  it  from 
principle,  and  with  a   determination  to  poilpone 

every 


Sec. 'II.       christian  church. 

every  other  con  fideration  to  that  of  their  neiv  . 
fmn.  Cbnfideringthsrnfelves'as  hc?fs>  offul 
aridimm   r    lit]  ,  they  devoted  all  their  time, 
-and  fortune  to  the  public  caufe.     One  ihfl 
particular  is  mentioned^  that  of  Barnabas,  a  Levite, 
and  i  native  of  Cyprus;  who  having   an  cflalc  in 
tfnat  ifl  md,  fold  it,  and  gave  the  value  of  it  to 
apoftles,  to  go  to  the  common  deck.  A  els  iv.  06. 

Notwithftanding  the  genuine  zeal,  uprigrit- 
nefs,  and  integrity,  of  the  great  body  of  chriltjans 
in  this  early'period,  we  have  in  it  an  example  of  one 
man  and  his  wife,viz.  Ananias  and  Sapphira,  who 
either  with  a  view  to  acquire  the  reputation  of 
difintereftednefs,  or  on  the  pretence  of  giving  up 
their  all,  to  avail  themfelves  of  the  common  fund, 
fold  an  eftate,  and  bringing  to  the  apoitles  part  of 
the  price,  told  them  that  it  was  the  whole.  As  it 
was  of  great  confequence  that  the  chriS'iAn  church 
mould  not  at  this  time  harbour  any  petfons  of 
inch  a  character,  it  pleafed  the  divine  Being  to 
make  a  fignal  example  of  thefe  perfons,  who  had 
agreed  in  the  intended  fraud. 

Ananias  was  {irft  publicly  called  upon  by  Pe- 
ter, to  fay  whether  the  linn  which  he  had  brou 
in  was  the  whole  price  of  his  eflate  ;  and  upon 
his  faying  that  it  was,  Peter  (prompted  on 
doubt  by  the  fpirit  ol  God)  charged  him  with 
hypocrily,  and  attempting  to  deceive  cot  onij 
vnan,  but  God.      He  then  cxpoHuhted  with  ; 

oa 


36         THE  HISTORY  OF  THE      Per.  I. 

on  the  ufelcfTnefs  of  the  lie  he  had  told,  as  he  had 
been  under  no  neceflity  either  to  fell  his  eftate,  or  to 
tive  any  part  of  it  after  it  was  fold.  Immediately 
upon  this,  Ananias  fell  down  dead  before  the 
company.  A  little  time  after  this,  his  wife,  coming 
in  before  fhe  had  been  informed  of  anv  thing  that 
had  palled  refpe&ing  her  huiband,  was  afked  the 
fame  queftion  that  had  been  put  to  him,  and  giv- 
ing the  fame  anfwer,  fhe  alfo  fell  down  dead.  A 
miracle  of  this  awful  kind  could  not  fail  to  make 
a  deep  impreffion  upon  all.  It  would  tend  to 
convince  all  people  that  the  profeffion  ofchriflian- 
ity  was  a  ferious  thing,  and  thofe  who  had  any 
finifter  views  would  be  deterred  from  joining  the 
body  of  chriflians.  A 61s  v. 

A  t  this  time  the  miniftry  of  the  apofties  was 
honoured  in  as  diftinguifhing  a  manner  as  that  of 
Jefus  had  been,  many  miracles  being  wrought  by 
the  apofties,  and  efpecially  by  Peter,  who 
always  took  the  lead  among  them.  Such  was  the 
fame  of  his  miracles,  that  perfons  brought  thtir  sick 
into  thejlreets,  and  laid  them  on  beds  and  couches, 
that  at  leojl  thejfiadow  of  Peter  might  reach  fomeoj 
them  (A£h  v.  15)  Great  numbers  alfo  came  from 
towns  in  the  neighbourhood  of  Jerufalem,  bringing 
their  lick,  and  among  them  daemoniacs;  and  none 
of  them  returned  without  a  perfect  cure. 

This  could  not  be  done  without   exciting    the 
rage  of  the  rulers  of  the  nation,  whofe  prejudices 

wer 


Sec.  II.       CHRISTIAN  CHURCH.  ?J 

were  fuch  as  nothing  could  conciliate.  I 
therefore,  caulcd  the  .mollies  to  be  apprehend  J, 
and  put  into  the  common  pnton.  liut  tins  was 
the  occaGon  of  a  new  miracle,  and  of  a  molt  ex- 
traordinary kind.  For  an  angel  opened  the  pnfon 
doors,  and  leading  them  out,  bade  them  go,  and 
preach  openly  in  the  temple,  the  place  of  grealcfl 
concourfe,  as  they  had  done  before.  This  accor- 
dingly they  did  not  fail  to  do;  and  to  the  great 
furprize  of  their  judges,  when  they  were  affembled 
the  next  morning,  and  had  given  orders  for  their 
prifoners  to  be  brought  before  them,  they  were 
told  that  the  very  perfons  whom  they  had  confin- 
ed the  day  before  were  at  that  time  teaching  open- 
ly in  the  temple. 

After  this  the  judges  could  not  think  of  at- 
tempting to  take  them  any  more  by  force.  In- 
deed, the  apoflles  were  then  fo  popular,  that  the 
officers  would  have  been  ftoned  if  they  had  laid 
violent  hands  upon  them.  They,  therefore, 
brought  them  without  violence  into  the  court, 
where  being  charged  with  acting  contrary  to  the 
orders  that  had  been  given  them,  (viz.  n  H  to 
■preach  any  more  in  the  name  of  Jtfus)  Peu 
ed,  that  he  had  obeyed  God  in  what  he  had  dc 
and  again  afferted  the  dignity  of  Jefus,  trhofri  they 
had  crucified,  as  ri fen  from  the  dead,  and  advanfced 
to  the  right  hand  of  God,      He  added,   that    i 

only 


38         THE  HISTORY  OFTHE         Per.  I. 

pnl)   were  he  ard  his  brethren  wifneiTes  of  the  re- 
furrrcY   r.     hv  'onit  of    God  h;n;fflf.   in    feffe 

miraculous  £ow<e*s  which  were  imparted  to  all  the 
be      rier& 

Bfjno  provoker!  to  the  highefl  degree  bv  this 
b  >'  mfwer,  the  judges  were  thii-kino  to  put  the 
apoiiles  to  death,  as  they  had  done  jetus  ;  but 
Gamaliel,  one  of  their  body,  and  a  celebrated  teach- 
er of  the  law,  advifed  them  (after  the  apoftles  were 
withdrawn)  not  to  interfere  in  the  bufinefs  faying; 
that  if  the  thing  was  of  God,  it  would  be  in  vain 
for  them  to  oppofe  it,  and  if  it  was  not,  it  would 
foon  come  to  nothing.  It  feems,  however,  that 
the  judges  thought  it  neceffary  not  to  difmifs  them 
without  doing  fomething  to  enforce  their  authority* 
They  therefore  ordered  them  to  be  beaten,  which 
wag  always  done  in  open  court.  In  this  the  apoftles 
even  rejoiced,  and  leavingthe  tribunal,  they  preach- 
ed thcgofpel  mth  as  much  zeal  as  ever,  both  public- 
iyin  the  temple,  and  alfo  in  private houfes.  A 6b v. 
The  Jewifh  rulers,  being  probably  confounded 
at  this  unexpeSed  boldnefs  of  the  apoftles,  and 
their  own  ineffectual  attempts  to  retrain  them, 
feem  to  have  followed  the  advice  of  Gamaliel  for 
funic  time,  and  tohave  fuffered  them  to  preach  with- 
out moleflatiqn  ;  and  this  was  attended  with  a  great 
increafe  of  the  diiciples,  not  only  in  Jeruialem  and 
Judea,  but  among  Jews  indifiant  countries.      For 

we 


Stall,         CHRISTIAN  CHURCH.         S9 

wc  find  the  widows  of  Grecian*,  as  well 
as  of  Hebrews  (Afts  vi.  1.)  applying  for  re'id 
out  of  the  common  fund,  and  the  former  complain- 
ing that  they  were  neglcclcd  out  of  iefpccT:  to  tli  • 
latter.  On  this  the  apoflles,  who,  like  Mof'.s  in 
a  fimilar  fituation,  had  given  their  attention  to 
every  thing  that  concerned  chriflianity,  and  had 
even  fuperintended  this  diftribution,  relieved 
themfelvcs  of  that  burden,  by  requeiti^i;  that  -he 
focicty  would  chufe  feven  men  of  reput.uion  a- 
mong  them,  to  attend  to  this  and  other  iecular 
affairs,  while  they  confined  themfelves  to  the  buf:- 
nefs  of  preaching  and  inflruclion.  This  propofal 
being  approved  of,  the  following  (even  perfons 
were  chofen,  viz.  Stephen,  Philip,  Prochorus, 
Nicanor,  Timon,  Parmenas,  and  Nicolas,  aprofe- 
lyteof  Antioch.  Thefe  were  fet  apart  for  their 
office  by  prayer,  and  by  the  apoflles  folemnly  lay- 
ing their  hands  upon  them  ;  an  aQion  which  always 
feems  to  have  accompanied  praying  for  particular 
perfons. 

In  this  Rate  of  things  the  number  of  the  difci- 
ples  continued  to  increafe  greatly  (Atts  vi.  7.)  and 
the  converts  were  not  all  of  them  of  the  meaner 
kind  of  people,  but  a  great  number  of  priefls  join- 
ed their  focicty.  In  this  flate  it  is  probable 
that  things  continued  fome  time,  perhaps  lrom 
a.  d.  29,  in  which  Jefusdied,to  a.  d.  33,  when 

chriflianity 


4o         THE  HISTORY  OF  THE      Per.  I. 

chriftianity  mud  have  gotten  a  pretty  firm  efta- 
blifhment ;  fo  that  its  enemies,  the  Jewiih  rulers, 
muft  have  perceived  that  their  forbearance  had  not 
been  at  all  favourable  to  them.  They  had,  there- 
fore, recourfe  once  more  to  feverity,  taking  occa- 
iion  from  the  great  zeal  of  Stephen  one  of  the  fe- 
ven  deacons ;  who  not  confining  his  attention  to 
fecular  matters,  but  having  exerted  himfelf  alfo  in 
preaching  (which  was  accompanied  with  many  mi- 
racles) drew  upon  himfelf  the  peculiar  indignation 
ot  the  oppofite  party.  They  might  alfo  think  that 
they  fhould  fucceed  better  in  the  profecurion  of 
him,  who  was  an  inferior  perfon,  than  they  had 
done  in  that  oi  the  apoftles. 

This  frefh  perlecution  could  not  have  hem 
carried  on  without  the  connivance  of  Pilate,  the 
Roman  governor;  but  as  he  had  before  abandoned 
Jefus,  to  them,  and  his  conduct  in  other  refpecls 
had  rendered  him  very  unpopular,  it  is  probable 
that,  in  hope  of  gaining  them  in  fome  meafure,  and 
preventing  their  complaints  of  his  mal-adminiftra- 
tion,  he  was  willing  to  iacrifice  to  them  the  follow- 
ers of  Jefus,  as  he  had  done  Jefus  himfelf.  Be- 
fidcs,  he  muft  by  this  time  have  feen  that  the 
chriftians  were  a  paflive  inoffenfive  fet  of  men, 
who  were  not  likely  to  a6l  openly  again  ft  him,  ei- 
ther by  their  complaints  at  Rome,  or  their  oppofi- 

tion  in  the  province. 

The 


Sec   II.        CHRISTIAN  CHURCH.         41 

The  zeilou^  Jews,   having  nothing    to  appre- 
hend from    the  interference  >A  the   governor,  now 

ope  tu. I  hope  to  their  r.ige  in  the  perfecution  of 
t:»e  chriftians;  and  Stephen  happening  to  be  en- 
^a  >ed  in  a  difpute  with  fome  zealous  Jews  f 
whom  were  fome  hum  Cilicia,  and  among  them, 
probably,  Saul  of  Tarfus)  and  overpowering  them 
ynth  his  arguments^  they  knowing  no  other  mc- 
tho  i  ot  filencing  him,  and  fenfible  that  the  Sanhc- 
diun  was  in  their  favour,  accufed  him  before  that 
court  oi  'he  crime  of  blafphemy  againjl  Mofcs  and 
again/!  God,  fuborning  cert  rim  perfons,  who  de- 
clared that  they  had  iv.  ard  him  \<iy  that  Jenas  of 
Nazireth  wou'd  deftroy  the  city  of  Jerulalem, 
and  change  the  laws  of   M  >{<  s. 

Inftead  ot  reph  ing  to  this  particular  accufa- 
tion,  which  was  deftttute  of  all  proof,  Stephen, 
with  perfect  prefence  of  mind,  and  with  a  counte- 
nance fo  full  ot  courage  and  zeal,  that  it  was  com- 
pared to  th  it  of  an  angel,  in  a  fpetch  of  confidei- 
able  length,  recited  the  bittor)  of  the  Hebrew  na- 
tion trom  the  beginning  ;  (hewing  hi>  judges  how 
apt  they  had  always  been  to  rtjeft  and  ill-treat  the 
mefiVngers  whom  God  had  from  lime  to  time 
Tent  to  them,  and  boldh  tellingthem,  they  w 
now  treading  in  the  fteps  of  their  ance  ftors,  by  re- 
jecting Jefus,  in  the  murder  of  whom  they  had 
refilled  God  himfelf  who  fpake  by  him. 
Vol,  I.  F  On 


4s         THE  HISTORY  OF  THE       Per.  I. 

On  hearing  thefe  keen  but  jufl  reproaches,  the 
members  of  the    court,  arable   to  contain    them- 
felves    any    longer,  pafied  fentcnce  of  death  upon 
him,  as  a  blafphemer.      But  he,  unmoved   by  this 
determination,    and    directing  his    eyes   upwards, 
was  favoured  with  a  view  of  the  gloty  of  God,  and 
of  Jefub  Chrift  fitting  on  his  right  hand.     On  his 
declaring    this,    they  flopped    il  eir  cars,  as  at  the 
hearing   of  blafphemy,   and   with   the  mofl    inde- 
cent haflc  and  violence  bin  red  hrntoa  place  out 
of  the  city,  where  he  was  fioned  to  dearh  ;  while 
he,  with  peife6l  compofure  (according  to  the  cuf- 
tom   of  dying    perfons   addrtfUng     their     neaieft 
friends)  faid  aloud  (;he  vifion  he  had  had  imprefT- 
ing  his   mind,   and    occupying    all  his    thoughts) 
"  Lord  Jefus,  receive   my  fpirh,"  or  Lift    breath; 
adding  in  the  temper  of  his  dying  matter.  "  Lord, 
lay  not  this  fin  to  their  charge."   A^  er  this,  with 
as  much  apparent  fatisfa£lion  and  tranquility  as  if 
he    was   falling  afleep.    he    expired.      His  friends 
were   permitted  to  carry  him  away,  and  hury  him 
with    the  ufnal  ceremonies  of  lementation,  which 
was   very    great.      The  chief  a£tor  in  this  tragedy 
was  Saul  of  Tarfus  in  Cilicia,    an  J  at  his  feet  the 
perfonr  who  threw  the  ftones   laid    their  cloaths^ 
which  they  put  off  that  they  might  not  be  incum- 
bered in  throwing  them.  Acis  vii. 

The  enemies  of  chriftianity  having  fucceeded 

in 


Sec.  II.         CHRISTIAN  CHURCH.         43 

in  acoomplifbing  thq  death  of  Stephen,  irere  eo- 

coifraged  to   perfevere  in  the  perforation    of   the 
dilciples ;    and  S  ml,  who  was  diftinguilhed  by  hii 

7xa\  tor  thelaurs  of  Moles  againft  thole  whom  he 
thought  to  infringe  upon  them,  was  thcmofl  ac- 
tive in  ft  rumen  t  oi  their  violence,  entering  into  pri- 
vate .louirs,  and  apprehending  pcrfons  oi  all  con- 
ditions ;  ^nd  without  regard  to  the  diftinclion  of 
fex,  he  committed  them  promt fcuou fly  to  prifon. 
In  COfif<  qience  of  this  petfecution,  many  chnftians 
u\re  difpetfed  inro  diftant  places,  and  by  ;his 
means  the  knowledge  of  the  gofpel  was  extended 
farther  than  it  would  othenvife  have  been  in  the 
fame  time.  But  notwithstanding  this  danger,  all 
the  apoflks  chofe  to  remain  at  Jerufalem  ;  and 
their  enemies  perhaps  thought  that,  as  they  had 
been  delivered  in  a  miraculous  manner  before,  it 
would  be  in  wx'm  to  attempt  doing  any  thing  a- 
gainft  them. 

Among  other  pcrfons  who  were  driven  from 
Jerufalem  by  this  perfecution,  Philip  (whofe  nam. 
appears  next  to  that  of  Stephen  in  the  lift  of  the 
feven  deacons,  or  ftewardsj  went  and  preached  in 
Samaria,  where  the  Jews  had  no  power;  and  as 
his  preaching  was  accompanied  with  the  working 
of  miracles,  efpecially  in  the  cure  of  pcrfons  airlift- 
ed v/uh  the  pal fy,  fome  who  were  incurably  lame, 
and   fome   demoniacs,    he   made    many  converts, 

and 


44         THE  HISTORY  OF  THE      Per.  I. 

and  there  was  a  general  joy  in  their  chie*  a*y. 
Here  he  met  with  a  man  whofe  name  s  of:  ri 
mentioned  by  the  e2r!y  c'niftian  writers,  viz  Si- 
mon; to  >  bieh  is  commonh  added  the  epH;et  of 
Magus,  on  account  oi  the  magical  ans  to  which  he 
pretended. 

He  was  in  realitv  a  philofopher  of  what  is  uf-t. 
ally  called  the  oriental  Jetl,  he  leading  principle 
of  which  was,  that  fi cm  the  fupreme  mind  there 
fprung,  by  way  of  emanation,  various  intelligen- 
ces, and  from  thefe  others  of  the  lame  nature,  but 
lefs  perfect.  The  m«  ft  exalted  ot  thefe  d  rived 
beings  were  fuppofed  capable  of  the  hi^beftc.frVes, 
even  that  of  mak'ng  worlds  If  was  aUo  thought 
that  they  cccafionally  defcended  from  the  empyreal 
regions,  which  they  ufually  occupied  and  for  great 
and  good  purpofes  animated  the  bodies  of  men, 
and  other  creatures,  in  the  fame  manner  as  ras- 
mons  were  fuppoled  to  take  poflTeflion  of  men  for 
bad  purpofes.  The  people  of  Samaria  entertain- 
ed a  notion  (encouraged,  no  doubt  by  Simon  him- 
felf)  that  he  was  one  of  thofe  fup trior  intelligen- 
ces ;  tor,  it  is  faid,  that  they  thought  him  to  be 
the  great  power  oj  God,  and  he  kept  up  this  high 
opinion  of  himleii  by  various  tricks  and  lmpohti- 
ens  probab'y  (  ich  as  the  Egyptian  priefls  and  ma- 
gicians were  famous  for.  Simon,  however,  feeing 
the  miracles  ol  Piiihp  to  be  greatly  fupeiior  lo  any 

thing 


Stc    II.        CHRISTIAN  CHURCH.  4: 

thing  that  he  could  pretend  to,  b  came  a    c  >n 
to  his  tlodtrine,  and  was  h;m  -z    1. 

The  chriftians  at  J  rufaiem  hearing  of  the  ma- 
ny converts  made  at  Samaria  by  the  preaching  of 
Philip,  fent  to  them  the  ap  (Ilea  Peter  and  I  >hn, 
that  by  their  prayers,  an  I  the  laying  on  of  their  hat  icfe, 
thofe  who  had  been  baptiz  J  might  receive 
holy  (pi  it,  or  be  endued  with  the  gift  of  fpeakm  5 
in  languages  which  they  had  not  le  irned  :  the  con- 
ferring of  this  p  wer  bnnj  a  privilege  which  in 
pleafcd  liv  n:  providence  to  referve  fur  the  ap  >f- 
tle<.  Accordingly,  by  means  of  thefe  apoftles,  the 
Sam aritan  converts  did  receive  the  holy  fpirit; 
and  this  appearing  to  Simon,  as  it  naurally  waul  I, 
a  thing  of  nore  wonderful  nature  than  any  thing 
that  he  had  feen  before,  obferving  alfothat  it  was 
peculiar  to  the  apallles  to  impart  this  power,  and 
thinking  that  they  could  bcttow  it  upon  others, 
he  offered  them  a  fum  of  money  to  [hare  it  with 
them.  To  this  propofai  Peter,  with  great  indig- 
nation, replied,  ';  Thy  money  perifh  with  thee, 
i:  becaufe  thou  haft  thought  that  the  gift  of  God 
"  might  be  purchafed  with  money/'  He  moreover 
added,  that  he  knew  nothing  of  the  profeffi  m  I 
he  had  token  upon  himfelf,  and  exhorted  him  to 
repent  of  his  bad  dilpoli  ion  and  unworthy  pur- 
pofe.  On  this  Simon  feemed  to  be  a  Heeled  with 
a  juft  remorfe,  and  mtreated  the   apoille  to  pray 


46         THE  HISTORY  OF  THE      Per.  I. 

for  him,  that  the  doom  which  he  had  announced 
might  i:  ;         upon  him. 

It  is  probable,  however]  that  (his  S'mon  after- 
waids  &  Ififfion    of  chiifl<anity,  and 

endeavoured  ,M  draw  faJkiifers  to  hirrfclf.  as  be- 
fore. For,  ace  rdiolg  to  chnftian  tradition,  he 
every  where  o^pofed  hefpreadof  the  gofpel,  and 
even  held  public  deputations  with  Peter  on  the 
fubjeft.  But  ftveral  of  his  difciplcs  held  the  pnn- 
cipies  of  his  philosophy  together  with  the  profefTi- 
on  of  chriiiianity,  and  were  diPiinguifhed  by  tht 
appellation  df  Gn< flics,  from  the  boafls  which  they 
made  of  their  fuperior  knowledge.  From  thefe 
perfons  the  apoflles,  as  we  fhall  fee,  met  with  great 
oppofkion  ;  and  many  of  them  formed  focieties  of 
their  own,  in  confequence  of  which  they  had  the 
appellation  of  heretics,  or  fepcnatijls.  Being  again 
divided  and  fubdivided  among  themfelves,  they 
formed  a  great  variety  of  feels  of  which  an  account 
will  be  given  in  its  proper  place. 

Alter  this,  Peter  and  John,  having  preached  in 
feveral  villages  of  the  Samaritans,  returned  to  Je- 
rufalem  ;  but,  Philip,  who  remained  there,  had  a 
divine  impulie  to  go  to  (he  fouth,  into  the  defert 
through  which  lay  the  road  from  Jerufalem  to  Ga- 
There  he  met  with  an  eunuch,  an  officer   of 

'  '  .:'.!■  ;/  under  Canclace,  queen  of  ./Ethio- 
pia, who  i  Jew,  or  a  profelyte,  had  been  at- 

tending 


s  c,  it.     christian7  cnrRrii.        AJ 

tending  one  of  the  public  feflivrals  at  [erufalem; 
and  was  then  fittrrig  in  ni:  chariot,  in 

the  prophecy  o\  Kuan.      P 

the  lpirit  of  God  to  place  hi  #iy  of  :he 

chariot,  heard  him  I  rbetty  i<3 

c.fl;  him  it  he  undc' uw-.l  \. ,.  -cad;    and 

the  eunuch,  irankly  acknowledging  his  want  of 
an  interpreter,  defired  Philip  to  get  U p  into  the 
chaiiot.  and  fit  with    him,   whicH  L.  \     di  i. 

The  paffage  he  had  been  readin  n    the    cod 

chapter  of  Ifaiah,  where  the  prophet  defenbes  a 
perfon  who  was  led  as  a  fherp  to  the  (laughter,  and 
who,  like  a  I amb  dumb  before  his  Jhearers,  opened 
not  his  mouth.  This  character  Philip  applied  to 
Jefus,  and  from  this  he  tookoccafion  to  explain  to 
him  the  doctrine  of  the  divine  million,  the  death, 
and  refurre&ion  of  Chrift  ;  adding,  no  doubt 
that  perfons  were  initiated  into  his  religion  by 
baptifm. 

Afterwards,  coming  to  a  place  where  there  was 
water,  the  eunuch  expreffed  a<  I  being  bap- 

tized, to  which  Philip  replied,  that  there  could  be 
no  objection  to  it,  if  he  wz  \  a  h  li  v.  r  in  what  he 
had  informed  him  of.  Ou  this  the  eunuch  declar- 
ed his  belief  that  Jefus  was  the  fonof  God,  or  the 
Mefiiah,  which  expreffed  all  that  was  c  Hernial  to  a 
chriftan,  and  therefore,  both  htirig  from 

the  chariot,  Philip  baptized  him.     The  eunuch 

was 


48         TTIEHISTORYOFTHE         Per.  J. 

was  farther  co  firmed  in  his  faith  by  a  miracle  of 
an  extraordinary  nanire.  For  after  his  b-ptifm 
Phs'ip  iva-  taken  from  him  by  the  fpirit,  or  power 
of  G^d,  f  >  that  hedifaopeared  from  his  fight  ;  on 
which  he  purfued  his  journey  with  peculiar  joy 
arvj  fatisfa&ion  of  mind.  Philip  found  himfelf  at 
/  zotus,  and  preaching  the  gofpel  at  that  place, 
arid  all  along  the  fea-coaft,  he  came  at  length  to 
CcEUrea.     A£ts  viii. 


SECTION     III. 


From  the    Converffon   of  Paul  t0  the  preaching  of 
the  G  /pel  to  the  Gentiles 


Jl  ROM  the  death  of  Stephen  (probably 
a  n.  33)  to  the  acce  sion  o^  Caligula  to  the  PvO- 
man  Empire,  a  n  37,  the  rulers  of  the  Jews 
canied  on  an  active  and  unrelen-ing  perfecution 
ct  the  chnftians,  in  which  to  a.  d  35.  Saul  was 
t;  eir  chief  in  liniment;  but  then  a  flop  was  put  to 
his  furious  career  by  a  molt  extraordinary  interpo- 

fition 


Sec.  [II.       CHRISTIAN  CHURCH. 

fition  of  divine  providence.      Or    ln.s  &WJb  accord , 

;l  had  applied  to  the  high  pried  for  ord<  I 
to     >amafcus  in  fearch  6(  chriflians,  that  h 
bring  theih  from  that   city    boi  m, 

For    th  y  of  tills,   perfecutiort  had    driven 

chriftian  preachers  (and  at  thajt  chrifti- 

an  might  be  laid  to  be  a  preacher)  to  this  city,  and 
others  ftill  more  diftant  from  Judca,  where,  their 
zeal  not  abating,  but  being  rather  increafed,  th 
endeavoured  to  make  as  many  profelytes  as  they 
could;  and  the  report  of  thbfe  in  Damafcus 
brought  Saul  thither. 

As    Saul  drew  near  the  city,  his  rage,  no  doubt, 
increafing  with  the  near  prcfpecl  of  his  prey,  he 
found  himfelf  (unrounded  by  an  extraordinary  light 
from   heaven,  and  falling  to  the   ground;  he  hearel 
a  voice  pronouncing  theie*words,  Saul.  Saul,  why, 
perfccutejl  thou   me  ;    to  which,  when    he    replied, 
Who  art  thou,  Lord  (which  Chews  that  he  was   not 
diverted  of  all  prefence   of  mind)  he  received  for 
anfwer,   /  am  J  ejus  whom  thou  perfccutejl.     It  is 
hard  for  thee  to  kick  againjl  the  goad ;  rcprcfen:' 
by  this  familiar   proverb,  the  impoilibihty  of  i 
ceeding  in  his   enterprize  to  extirpate chrifliani 
Altonifhed  at  ihis  reply,  and  finding  the  fatal  mif- 
take  he  had  been  under,  he  laid,   Lord,  what  a 
thou  have  me  to  do;   to  which  he    had  this  anfwer, 
Arife.go  into  the  city,  and  it  fliall  be  told  tit- 
Vol.  I.  G 


5o        THE  HISTORY  OF  THE       Per.  I. 

thou  /halt  do.  With  this  the  vifion  ended.  The 
companions  of  Saul  had  all  this  time  been  prefent, 
and  were  no  doubt,  greatly  amazed,  hearing  the 
found  of  a  voice,  though  (perhaps  not  being  near 
enough)  not  diP.m^uifhing  the  words  that  were 
pronounced,  and  feeing  no  perfon  from  whom 
they  could  proceed.  Saul,  being  rifen  from  the 
ground  and  finding  himfelf  unable  to  fee,  was 
conducted  into  the  city,  where  he  paffed  three 
days  and  nights  without  eating  or  drinking,  as 
well  as  without  fight. 

In    this  interval   of  darknefs  and   failing,    his 
mind  would  be  fufficiently  tranquilized,  and  his 
devotion  (of  the  principle  of  which  he  was  never 
divefled)  would  be  peculiarly  ardent ;    and  being 
then  well  allured   of  the  refurreclion  of  Jefus,  by 
whom  he  had  been  accofted,  and  confequently  of 
the  truth  of  chriflianity,  he  prayed  for  farther  in- 
ftruclion    (agreeably  to  the  promife  that  had  been 
made  him)  and  no  doubt  alfofor  the  reftoration  of 
his  fight.     At   this  time  Jefus  alfo  appeared  to  a 
difciple  in    Damafcus,   of  the  name  of   Ananias, 
and    directing  him  to  the  place  where   Paul  was, 
informed  him  that  he  alfo  had  been  favoured  with 
a  viiiion,  in  which  he  was  told  that  a  perfon  of  the 
name  of  Ananias  would  vifit  him,  and  reftore  him 
to  his  fight.     On  this    Ananias,    without  refufing 
to  obey,  expreffed  his  furprize  at  the  commiffion, 

considering 


Sec.  III.       CHRISTIAN  CHURCH.        5r 

conhdcring  how  great  a  perfecutor  of  the  chrifli- 
ans  Saul  had  been,  and  with  what  views  he  was 
then  come  to  Damafcus.  But  Jefus  replied,  lie 
is  a  chofen  vejfcl  unto  me,  to  bear  my  name  before  the 
Gentiles,  and  kings,  as  well  as  the  children  oj  If 
real  ;  adding  that  he  fhould  farther  appear  to  him, 
and  apprize  him  ot  all  that  he  fhould  fuller  in  his 
caufe. 

On  this,  without  farther  hefitation.  Ananias 
wenttothehoufe  where  Saul  was,  and  accofting  him 
with  the  appellation  of  brcther,  put  his  hands  upon 
him,  and  faid,  the  Lord,  even  Jefus,  who  appeared 
id  thee  in  the  way,  has  fent  me  that  thou  mightefl  re- 
ceive thy  fight,  and  be  filled  with  the  holy  Spirit, 
With  this  fbmething  like  fcales  fell  from  his  eyes, 
by  which  he  recovered  his  sight.  He  was  then 
baptized,  and  continued  fome  time  with  his  fellow 
chriflians  at  Damafcus ;  his  former  companions 
having  probably  foon  left  him,  confounded  at 
vhat  they  had  feen,  and  probably  without  under- 
ftanding  much  of  the  matter. 

The  fame  zeal  which  had  prompted  Saul  to 
perfecute  the  chriflians  now  led  him  to  be  as  warm 
an  advocate  for  their  caufe.  Accordingly,  he  foon 
began  to  preach  in  the  fynagogues  of  Damafcus, 
maintaining  that  Jtfus  was  the  Mefhah,  at  which 
all  who  heard  him  were  aftonifhed,  knowing  his 
preceding   character    and    conduct.      But  heper- 

fifled 


52         THE  HISTORY  OF  THE      Per.  I. 

iidcl  in  iiis  preaching,  and  by  his  arguments  he 
confounded  (he  bigoted  Jews  of  that  place,  who 
would  not  fail  to  be  highly  provoked  at  the  defer- 
tlon   of  their    former   champion.      They   were  ro 

ich  emaged,  that  they  formed  a  dehgn  to  take 
away  his  life^  and  lay  in  wait  at  the  gates  of  the 
city  day  and  night  for  that  purpofe.  But  his 
ifriends,  being  apprized  of  it,  contrived  to  let  him 
down  from  the  wall  of  the  city  in  a  bafket,  fo  that 
he  efcaped  their  purfuit. 

Saul  having  thus  efcaped  from  the  hands  of 
his  enemies,  preached  in  the  neighbouring  country 
pf  Arabia  a  great  part  of  three  years,  after  which 
he  returned  to  Damafcus,  and  then  went  to  Jeru- 
falem.  There  the  difciples  were,  very  naturally, 
afraid  ot  him,  doubting  the  reality  of  his  conver- 
fion;  till  Barnabas,  who  (being  of  Cyprus,  an 
ifland  not  far  from  Tarfus  the  native  place  of 
Saul)  had  probably  fame  previous  knowledge  of 
him,  and  had  by  himfeif  been  acquainted  with  the 
..:  even' 3  of  his  life,  had  anlwered  for  the 
truth  of  his  extraordinary  narrative.  By  him  he 
introduced  to  the  apoflles  Peter  and  James, 
and  with  them  he  continued  fifteen  days.  At  Je- 
rufalem  Saul  preached  with  the  fame  affiduity 
and  boldnefsas  he  had  done  at  Damafcus,  difput- 
particularly   with     thofe  who,    like    himfeif, 

me    from  thofe   countries  in  which  the   Greek 

language 


.  III.       CHRISTIAN  CHURCH 


ken.      But  they    be -i 
exafperated  agairtfthim,  as  the  Jews  of  I) 
had  been,    endeavoured   alio  to  take  his  li1 
lure   likewife   his  friends,  being appriz 

intention,  interpofed,  and  conducted  him  to  C\ 
rea,  and  thence  he  went  to  Tarfus*  A£b  i:c.  21. 

Saul  bad  begun,  and  continued,  to  preach 
fchefe  three  years  whhout  any  communication  \. 
tlie  apoflles  ;  and  when  they  conveiTed  with  him 
they  found  that  he  was  a.r  wed  acquainted  with 
the  chriflian  doclrine  as  themfelves.  Jelus,  who 
had  appeared  to  him  before  his  arrival  at  Darhaf- 
cus,  and  likewife  in  that  town  before  he  had  re- 
covered his  fight,  had  probably,  Tome  time  after- 
wards, appeared  to  him  again,  and  for  a  longer 
time  ;  to  give  him  more  fatisfaQion  concerning 
the  reality  of  his  refurrection,  and  alfo  to  give  him 
particular  inftruclions  concerning  evfery  thing  that 
he  was  to  teach  in  his  name.  By  this  lie 
qualified  to  be  an  apcHIe,  as  well  as  (hofe  who 
had  been  appointed  to  that  high  office  before  the 
death  of  Jefus ;  and  his  com  million  iclating  chiefly 
to   the  Gentiles,  he. obtained  t'  of 

the  apojlle  of  the  Gentiles,   in  which  cl 
mall  loon    find  that  he  greatly  diftinguifiw  I  hi     - 
fell';    ha  .rricfl  the  knowledge , of 

farther  than  any  ciher  anodic,  1 

cd 


54         THE  HISTORY  OF  THE      Per.  I. 

ed  more   churches   in  diftant   countries  lhan  per- 
haps all  the  the  other  apoftles  befides. 

About  this  time,  viz.  a.  d.  37,    the  emperor 
Tiberius,  in  whofe  reign  Jefus  had  been  crucified, 
died,  and  was  fucceeded  by  Caligula,  a  mad  and 
brutal  tyrant,   who,    among  other  extravagancies, 
tookinto  his  head  to  be  worfhipped  as  a  god,  by  all 
the  people   in  the  empire.     The  Gentile  nations 
having  been  accuftomed  to  worfhip   dead  men, 
and  the  emperors  J.  Caefar  and  Auguflus  having 
had   divine    honours    decreed    to  them  prefently 
after  their  deaths,    this  worfhip  or  a  living  man 
would  not  to   them  appear    fo    extraordinary  a 
thing;   though  they  might  think  this    particular 
emperor,  notwithftanding  his  power,  unworthy  of 
fo  great  an   honour.    But  to   the  Jews,   the  great 
object  of  whofe  religion  it  was  to  worfhip  no  other 
than  the  one  true  God,  the  maker  of  heaven  and 
earth,  the  difficulty    was  of  a  moil  ferious  nature; 
find  when  Petronius  the  governor  oi  Syria  (to  which 
the  government   of   Judea  was   fubordinate)  an- 
nounced the  orders  he  had  received  from    Rome, 
and  informed    them   that  a  flatue   of  the  emperor 
niuft  abfolutely    be   fet   up   in   the   temple;    and 
when  they  law  him   at  Tiberias  at  the  head  of  an 
army   lufficient  to  enforce  the  order,  many  thou- 
fands  of  the  Jews  came,  without  arms,  to  entreat 
that  he  would  not  prophane  their  temple,  exprefl- 

ing 


Sec.  III.         CHRISTIAN  CHURCH.       55 

ing  their  willingnefs  to  die  rather  than  fee  the  order 
executed.  They  even  fufpended  the  labours  of 
agriculture,  though  it  was  then  feed  time,  to  fhew 
how  indifferent  they  were  about  what  might  be- 
come of  themfelves,  or  their  country,  while  a 
thing  of  fuch  infinitely  more  moment  was  depend- 
ing. The  governor,  moved  by  their  fubmiffive 
behaviour,  fufpended  the  execution  of  the  order 
he  had  received,  till  he  had  given  the  emperor 
more  particular  information  concerning  his  pecu- 
liar circumdances  with  refpe6l  to  it;  and  by  means 
of  king  Agrippa  (who  had  been  fent  to  Rome  to 
complain  of  the  cruelties  of  Pilate,  and  who  had 
cultivated  the  friendfhip  of  Caligula)  he  was  for 
the  prefent  diverted  from  his  purpofe  ;  though  it  is 
probable  that  nothing  but  his  death  would  have 
given  the  Jews  any  effectual  relief  in  this  cafe*. 

By  Caligula  this  Agrippa  (who  was  the  grand- 
fon  of  Herod  the  Great,  by  Ariflobulus)  was 
made  king  of  the  tetrarchy  of  his  uncle  Philip, 
who  had  died  fome  time  before  withou;  heirs,  and 
his  province  of  Trachonitis  had  been  annexed  to  that 
of  Syria.  Herodias,  the  profligate  and  ambitious  wife 
of  Herod  the  tetrarch  of  Galilee,  who  had  procured 
the  death  of  John  the  baptift,  Rung  with  envy  to 
fee  the  oephew  of  her  hufband  honoured  with  fbe 

title 

*Jofephus's  Wars  of  the  Jews.  B.  2.  C;  8.  9. 


£6         THE  HISTORY  OF  THE         Per.  I. 

title  diking,  while    he  remained  a  fimple  tetrarch, 
could  not  red  till  fhe  had  prevailed  upon  him  to 
go   to  Rome  to  iolicit   the  fame   title  for  himfelf. 
She  accompanied  him,  but  before  their  arrival  the 
kincr  had   tent    letters  to  Rome;    accufing  him  of 
.-onfpired  with   the    Parthians   againft  (he 
emcire;    in  confcqutnce    of  which,  Caligula  ban- 
rftied  both  Herod  and  his  wife  to  Lyons  in  Gaul, 
and  gave  his  tetrarchy  to  Agrippa.      In  the   reign 
of  this  emperor  Pdate  did  not  efcape  the  perfec- 
tion oi  the  Jews,  as  he  had  cone  under  Tiberius, 
but  was  baniflied  to  Vienne  in  Gaul,  where,  accor- 
ding to  Eufebius,  he,  in  difpair,  laid  violent  hands 
upon  himfelf*. 

It  was  probably  owing  to  the  apprehenfion 
which  the  jews  were  under  concerning  the  orders 
of  Caligula,  that,  being  wholly  occupied  about 
their  own  fafefy,  they  fufpended  the  peifecution 
of  the  chriflians,  in  confcquence  of  which  the 
church  enjoyed  that  reft  throughout  all  Jadea, 
Galilee,  and  Samaria,  which  is  mentioned  A&s 
ix.  -;;i.  and  which  was  attended  with  a  great  in- 
crcafe  cf  the  difciples.  During  this  interval,  P. 
being  under  no  reftraint  to  go  wherever  he  plea- 
fed,  vifited  the  difciples  at  Lydda,  where  he  reftdr- 
ed  to  health    a   perfen    of   the    name    of  Eneas, 

who- 

*<Hift.  L.ii.   G.vii.p.  55. 


Sec.  III.       CHRISTIAN  CHURCH.        57 

who  wms  paralytic,  and  had  kept  his  bed  eight 
years.  He  then  went  to  [nppa,  where  he  raifed 
to  life  a  chriftian  woman  of  excellent  characl 
and  diftinguimid  for  her  charily  to  the  poor,  and 
other  virtues,  ol  the  name  of  Tabitha  (in  Greek 
Dorcas)  in  this  place  Peter  continued  fonic  time, 
refiding  with  one  Simon  a  tanner.  Ads  ix.  43, 


SECTION     IV. 


From  the  preaching  of  the  Go Jp el  to  the  Gentiles  to 
the  Council  of  the  Apoflles  at  Jcrufalem. 

AN  all  the  preceding  period,  comprifing 
the  fpace  of  ten  years  after  the  death  of  Jefus,  the 
apoflles  had  confined  the  preaching  of  the  gofpel 
to  the  Jews,  and  they  feem  to  have  had  no  idea 
ot  extending  it  to  the  Gentiles,  unlefs  they  mould 
have  fiifl  become  profelytes  to  Judaifm,  fo  as  to 
be  circumcifed,  and  conform  to  the  laws  of  Mofcs. 
But  a  fufheient  harveft,  as  we  may  fay,  of  the 
Jews  being  noW*  [in,    it  pleafed  the  divine 

Being  to   begin  t;i  r  harveft  of  the  gentile 

Vol.  I.  II  workl; 


58         THE  HISTORY  OF  THE       Per.  L 

world  ;  and  Peter,  who  had  been  the  fir  ft  preacher 
of  the  gofpel  to  the  former,  had  alfo  the  honour 
of  being  fiift  employed  to  preach  to  the  latter. 

Many  of  the  heathens  refiding  in  or  near  Ju- 
dea,  were  at  that  time  fo  much  impreffed  with  the 
fuperiority  of  the  Jewifh  religion  over  that  in 
which  they  had  been  educated,  that  though  they 
did  not  chufe  to  become  proper  profelytes,  they 
were  convinced  o!  the  abfurdity  of  idolatry,  and  in 
private  worfhipped  only  the  true  God  of  the  Jews  ; 
and  many  of  thefe  perfons  were  remaikable  for  their 
devotion  and  benevolence.  A  perfon  of  this  cha- 
racter, viz.  Cornelius,  a  Roman  centurion  refi- 
ding at  Caefarea  (the  ufual  abode  of  the  governors 
of  the  province)  one  who  is  defcribed*,  as  J  caring 
God  with  ad  his  houje,  who  gave  alms  to  the  people, 
and  prayed  to  God  always  (by  which  is  probably 
meant  at  all  the  ufual  hou!s  at  which  the  Jews 
offered  their  devotions)  was  praying  at  the  ninth 
hour  (three  in  the  afternoon  with  us)  which  was 
the  time  of  evening  facrifice  in  the  temple  ;  when 
an  angel  appeared  to  him,  informing  him  that  his 
prayers  and  alms  were  accepted  of  God,  and  or- 
der.ng  him  to  fend  to  Joppafor  Peter,  who  would 
give  him  fanher  information.  As  the  fupernatu- 
ral  appearance  to   Paul  was  at  midday,  fo  this  to 

Cornelius 


*Aas  x.  2, 


Sec.  IV.         CHRISTIAN  CHURCH.        59 

Cornelius  was  hot  in  b  it  al  1  time  vhich 

can  afford    no  fufpi  1    nart'    being   fubj    t 

to  any  illuGon.     On  1       he  fenl  twoothishou 
hold   fervants,  and  all         dev  >ut  foldier  v\  ho   at- 
tended upon  his  perfon,  after  he   had  given  them 
an  account  of  the  important  errand  on  which  they 
were  to  go. 

Bdoie  their  arrival,  Peter,  being  at  prayer  on 
the  houfe  top  at  noon,  became  ver)  hungr)  ;  and 
while  dinner  was  preparing  lor  him,  he  had  a 
trance,  in  which  he  faw  a  large  fheet  let  down 
from  heaven  by  its  four  corners,  and  in  it  all  kinds 
of  animals,  clean  and  unclean,  and  he  heard  a 
voice  faying  to  him,  Rife  Peter  kill  and  eat.  To 
this  he  replied,  that  he  had  never  eaten  any  thing 
which  according  to  the  law  of  Mofes  was  unclean  ; 
but  to  this  he  received  for  anfwer,  What  God  has 
deanjed  call  not  thou  unclean.  This  vifion,  with 
all  its  circumflances,  was  .repeated  three  times, 
and  then  the  meet  feemed  to  be  drawn  up  into 
heaven. 

When  Peter  was  recovered  from  his  trance, 
and  was  confidering  with  himfelf  what  it  could 
mean,  the  three  men  difpatched  by  Cornelius 
knocked  at  the  gate  of  the  houfe,  and  the  fpirit  of 
Gnd  informed  him  that  they  were  enquiring  for 
him,  and  bade  him  go  along  with  them,  for  that 
he  had  fent  them.      The  men,  being  introduced  to 

Peter, 


6o         THE  HISTORY  OF  THE         Per,  I. 

Peter,  delivered  their  meflage  :  and  the  next  day 
Peter,  accompanied  by  fome  difciples  from  Joppa, 
fet  out  with  them,  and  the  day  following  being 
arrived  at  Casfarea,  they  found  Cornelius  with 
many  of  his  friends  waiting  for  him. 

On  entering  the  room,  Peter  told  them,  that 
though  it  was  not  held  lawful  for  a  Jew  to  aiTociate 
with  Gentiles,  he  had  been  directed  by  God  to 
ccniider  no  man  as  unclean,  or  unfit  for  his  focie- 
ty  ;  and  therefore  had  come  without  hefitation  when 
he  was  fent  for.  In  return,  Cornelius,  in  a  diftincT: 
account  of  his  vifion,  gave  the  reafons  why  he  had 
fent  for  him ;  and  Peter,  not  doubting  but  he  was 
to  give  this  company  an  account  of  the  gofpel,  of 
which  he  was  an  apoftle,  recited  to  them  the  heads 
of  the  doctrine,  the  miracles,  and  especially  the 
refurre6tion  of  Jefus,  of  which  he  faid  that  him- 
felf  and  many  others  were  witnelTes  ;  and  as  thefe 
Gentiles  were  not  acquainted  with  the  Jewim  reli- 
gion, he  moreover  informed  them  that  Jefus  was 
appointed  to  be  the  final  judge  of  the  world,  and 
that  the  ancient  prophets  bore  witnefs  to  him. 

While  Peter  was  giving  this  account  of  the 
chriftian  doarine  (to  which  Cornelius  and  his 
friends,  no  doubt,  gave  the  firmefi  allent,  efpcci- 
ally  as  Peter  appealed  to  their  own  knowledge, 
forthe  trui:  .  the  facts)  thefpiiit  of  God 

fell   upon  them,  as  it  had  done  upon    the  Jewifh 

difciples 


Slc.  VI.        CHRISTIAN  CIU'RCII.        d 

difciple:;  at   thrfhfr,    and  they  began  I 

ilrs  or    God  in   unknown   I 
pcarancc  greally  furprifed   Peter  and  I 
and   feeing  that  God  had  al 
them   the  feal  of  the   true  diiciph  .,      iVt.ro:. 
ved  that  there  could  be  i  [q  baptizi 

(htm.     This    I;;i:i«    performed 
JPeter  and  his  companions  continued   fonie    d 
longer  with  them. 

Peter  had,  no  doubt,  expected  that  Cornelius 
and  his  friends  were  to  have  become  prolelytes  to 
Judailm  before  they  could  be  baptized,  and  re- 
ceived into  the  body  of  chriftiatis ;  and  the  difci- 
ples  at  Jerufalem,  having  the  fame  idea,  and  not 
having  been  informed  of  all  the  paiticulars  which 
had  led  to  the  baptizing  of  Cornelius,  but  only 
that  Peter  had  baptized  perlons  who  were  ui 
cumcifed,    were   much    ci,  widi  him  for  it. 

To   fatisfy  them,  Peter,   when  he7 V  jrned  tti 

Jerufalem    (which  he  p 
the  chrifiians  there  an  account  of  fo 
an  even:)  related  ciilii;.  or 

done  witli    rel; 
could  not  but  own  that  the  ban 

y  rejoic: 

;s.  that  God  had  op<       .  tiif- 

fion  of  Gentiles  into  the  d  Still, 

however,  we   fhall   iind    that  many  ot .  tl     i 

zeal 


0         THE  HISTORY  OF  THE      Per.  I. 

zealous  [ewifh  chriflians  were  never  thoroughly 
leconciled  to  the  Gentile  chriflians,  fo  far  were 
they  from  believing  the  infallibility  of  an  apoftle 
as  fuch*. 

At   this  time    the  number  of  the  difciples  was 
much  increafed  in  the  neighbourhood  of  Antioch, 
by  the   preaching  of  many  perfons  who  had  been 
driven  from  Jerufalem  by  the  perfecution  in  which 
Stephen   had  been  put  to  death  ;    and  the  church 
at  Jerufalem,    hearing   of   this,    fent  Barnabas  to 
Anlioch;    and  he,  being  full  of  zeal,  greatly  en- 
couraged them  to  perfevere  in  the  profefhon  of  the 
gofpel.      Having  ftrengthened  the  difciples  in  that 
city  and  added  to  the  number  of  them,  he  went  to 
feekSaul,  who  was  at  that  time  in  hif    native  city 
Tarfus,  in   the   neighbourhood  of  which    he    had 
been  preaching  ;  and  having  brought  him  to  An- 
tioch  they  continued  preaching  a  whole  year,  and 
made  many  converts.      Thefe  bearing  at  that  time 
a  fenfible  proportion  to   the  other  inhabitants   of 
the  place,    came   now  to  be   difiinguifhed    by  the 
peculiar  aame  of  chriftians,  an  appellation,  which, 
though  probably   given  by    their    enemies,    was 
chearfally  received  by  all  the  difciples  of  Jefus. 

At    this    time  there  came   from    Jerufalem  to 

Antioch  fotne  chriftanjs    who  had  the  gift  of  pro- 

ecy,  and  Specially  one  Agabus,  who  was  infpi- 

red 

•Afts  xi.  22 


Sec.  VI.        CHRISTIAN  CHURCH.        62 

red  to  forctcl  a  great  famine  through  all  the 
Roman  empire,  which  happened  in  the  reign  of 
Claudius;  and  the  cmciples,  on  the  apprehenfion 
of  it,  determined  to  fend  relief  to  their  brethren  in 
Judea.  Accordingly,  a  colle&ion  beiog  m. 
lur  that  benevolent  purpofe,  it  was  fent  to  the  el- 
ders of  the  church  by  Barnabas  and  Saul*.  In 
this  famine  Helena,  queen  of  Adiabcne  in  Syria, 
bought  c«rn  at  a  great  expence  in  Egypt,  and  dif- 
tributed  it  to  the  Jews  at  JerufalcmT. 

It  is  fomething  remaikablc  that  notwithftand- 
ing  the  admiflion  of  Cornelius  and  his  friends 
into  the  number  of  difciples  by  baptifra,  and  the 
approbation  of  Peter's  conduct  in  this  bufinefs 
by  the  church  at  Jerufalem,  neither  Peter  him- 
felf,  nor  any  other  chriftians,  appear  to  have  endea- 
voured  to  make  other  converts  among  the 
Gentiles.  Perhaps  they  waited  for  fome  more 
exprefs  authority  for  it.  In  the  mean  time,  how- 
ever, it  feems  that  Paul  (which  was  the  name  that 
Saul  afterwards  bore,  and  which  I  (hall  from  this 
time  give  him)  had  preached  to  Gentiles  in  the 
neighbourhood  of  Tarfus  and  Antioch  ;  and  for 
this  he  had  perhaps  received  from  Jefus  in  perfon 
an  exprefs  cornmillion,  either  while  he  was  pleach- 
ing   in  Arabia,  or  on  this  particular  occafion.    Or, 

as 

*Aas  xi.  30.  f  Eufeb,  Rift.  L.  3.  C.  13'  p.  G® 


6'1         THE  HISTORY  OF  THE      Per.  I. 

as  it  had  been  intimated  to  him  at  his  baptifm, 
(hat  he  was  to  be  fent  to  the  Gentiles,  on  hearing 
that  Peter  1  :zed  Cornelius,  he  might  think 

himfelF  authorized,   without  receiving 

cbrrimiffidn  for  the  purpofe,  to  do 
what  Peter  (perhaps  for  fear  of  offending  the  Jews) 
had  foreoorne.  What  Paul  had  then  done  in  this 
way,  bem"^  ma  country  remote  from  Jerufalem,  was 
not  generally  known  there.  But  being  fent  thither 
upon  this  occaficm  together  with  Barnabas,  he 
informed  the  apoftles  in  confidence,  of  what  he 
had  done  with  refpecl  to  preaching  the  gofpel  to 
Gentiles*;   but  he  faid  nothing  of  it  to  the  church 


at  large. 


Among  other  converts  from  the  gentiles  was 
Titus,  whom  Paul  took  with  him  to  Jerufalem, 
and,  as  he  was  not  a  Jew,  he  did  not  circumcife 
■hich,  as  it  mould  feem  from  Paul's  ac- 
count of  this  tranfaclicn,  he  had  been  advifed  ;  but 
he   I  remptorily - 'tefufedf,  left  it  mould  be  a 

precedent  to  enflave  all  future  Gentile  converts, 
by  compelling  them  to  obferve  the  laws  of  Mo- 
fest.  As  to  the  chief  of  the  apoftles,  Peter,  James, 
and  John,  when  they  heard  the  account  that  Paul 
gave,  perceiving  that  he  had  a  fpecial  commifiion 
to  preach  to  the  gentiles,  as  Peter  and  the  refi  had 
to  the  Jews,  they  gave  him  and  Barnabas  the  right 

"..2.  t  Gal,  ii.  4. 


Sec.  III.  [RISTIAN   CHURCH. 

hand  of  fellowship,  in    writhing  them    the  gi 
fuccefs  in  their  mifTion;  only  admoniflaing  them  to 

be    mindful   of   the   poor    fjjfciplgs  at   Jerni 'i! --in, 
and  procure    forne  contributions    for  thorn,  u 
Paul  himfelf  had  much  at  heart*. 

On  the  death  of  Caligula,  a.  n.  41,  his  uncle 
Claudius  was  made  emperor;  and  -as  the  f< 
had  been  induced  to  proclaim  him  by  the  addrefs 
of  Agrippa,  who  was  then  at  Rome,  among  other 
marks  of  his  gratitude,  he  not  only  confirmed  hi  1; 
in  the  kingdom  which  had  been  given  him  by 
Caligula,  but  added  to  his  territories  Samaria  and 
Ju  lea,  which  had  belonged  to  his  grandfather. 
He  alfo  gave  the  kingdom  of  Chalcis  in  Syria  to 
his  brother  Herod  ;  and  to  oblige  him  the  more, 
the  emperor  made  feveral  decrees  in  favour  o^  the 
Jews,  allowing  them  the  fame  privileges  which 
they  had  enjoyed  through  all  the  empire  in  tfc 
reign  of  Auguftus. 

Aorippa,  who  is  alfo  called  Herod,  on  hi 
rlvzlin  Judea,  did  many  things  to  ingratiate  hi 
with  his  fubjefts;    and  to   pleafe  :!iem  the  more, 
he  began  a  perfecution  againft  the  chiiftians,  in 
which  he  beheaded  James  the  brother  of  John,  and 
the  fon  of  Zebedce,  who  was  the  fir  ft  ol 
ties   that  fufFered    martyrdom.     He    alfo   caufed 
Peter  to  b?  apprehended,    and  committed  him  to 
Voi,  I.  I 

♦Gal.  ii.  10. 


66         THE  HISTORY  OF  THE      Per.  I. 

the  cuflody  of  two  foldiers,  one  of    them  being 
chained  to  each  of  his  hands,    intending  to  have 
him  executed  after  the  palfover  ;    but  it  pleafed 
God  to  deHver  him  from  this  danger,  in  the  fame 
manner  in  which  he  had  been   refcued  on  a  for- 
mer occafion.      For   in  the   night    preceding    the 
day  on  which  he    was  to  have  been  executed,  an 
angel,  attended  with  a  great  light,  "appeared  in  the 
prifon,  and  Peter  being  afleep,  he  awakened  him, 
and  bade  him  rife  and  follow  him  ;   the  chains  at 
the  fame  time  falling  from   his  hands.     As  they 
went,  (he  gates  of  the  prifon  opened  to  them  of  their 
own    accord ;   and   the   angel  leaving  him,   Peter 
round  himfelf  in  the  ftreet  alone.     Then,  but    not 
before,  Peter  was   fatisfied   that   what    had  paffed 
was  no  vifion,  but  a  reality.     Going  to  the  houfe 
of  Mary,  the  mother  of  Mark  the  evangelic,   he 
was  received  with  great  joy;    and   when  he  had 
told  his  friends  in  what  manner  he  had  been  deliv- 
ered  from  his  imminent  danger,  he  left  the  city. 
Herod,  difappointed  in  his  views,  ordered  the  fol- 
who  had  been  placed  to  guard  Peter,  to  be  put  to 
death. 

Afterwards,  viz.  a.  jS.  43,  the  lame  Herod 
Agrippa  being  at  Caefarea,  a  fpeech  which  he 
made  theie  to  fome  ambaffadors  from  Tyre  in  Si- 
don  was  received  with  loud  acclamations,  and  faid 
to  be  the  fpeech  of  God,  and  not  of  man.     This 

fulfomc 


Sf.c.  VI.        CHRISTIAN  CHURCH.        G7 

fulfotne  adulation  he  had  the  vanity  and  impi<  ty  to 
receive;  but  he  was  prefently  feized  with  a  mortal 
difeafe  fimilar  to  that  of  which  his  grandfather  b  i  i 
died.  For  his  body  was  in  fuch  a  (late  that  worms 
bred  in  it*. 

This  Agrippa  left  a  [on  feventeen  years  of  age, 
who  fucceeded  his  father;  but  being  thought  too 
young  fortheadminiflration,  it  was  given  to  Cufpius 
Fadus.  After  the  death  of  his  uncle  Herod  king 
of  Chalcis,  Claudius  gave  Agrippa  that  kingdom. 
But  in  the  thirteenth  year  of  his  reign  he  took  it 
from  him,  and  gave  him,  inliead  of  it,  ihofe  provin- 
ces which  had  formed  the  tetrarchy  of  Philip,  viz. 
Batanea,  Trachonitis,  and  Abilene.  Afterwards 
Nero  gave  him  part  of  Galilee,  including  Tiberias, 
and  Julias  beyond    Jordan. 

This  periecutor  of  the  chriflians  being  remov- 
ed, more  converts  were  made,  and  Paul  and  Bar- 
nabas, having  difcharged  their  commiffion,  return- 
ed to  Antioch,  taking  with  them  Mark  the  evan- 
gelist. It  was  probably  during  this  journey  which 
Paul  made  to  Jerufalem,  fouiteen  years  before  he 
wrofe  the  fecond  epifUe  to  the  Corinthians,  that, 
being  in  the  temple,  he  had  a  trance,  in  which  he 
imagined  that  he  was  caught  up  to  heaven  •  but  what 
he  heard  there  he  faysf ,   it  was  not  lawful  for  him 

f 

*Aas  xii.c:  4- Cor.  xii.4. 


63         THE  HISTORY  OF  THE         Per.  I. 

to  declare.  And  left  he  mould  be  exalred  above 
meafurc,  by  fo  diliinguifhing  an  honour,  he  hai 
from  that  time  fome  affliftion,  which  he  caiLs  a 
niejjengcr  offatdn,  from  which  hecarneflly  jviayed 
to  be  relieved;  but  he  only  received  for  aftfd  r, 
that  the  power  of  God  would  be  fufficieru  few  lim. 
What  this  afllicnon  was  he  does  not  fpecify.  but  it 
was  probably  fomclhing  that  he  apprehended 
would  render  his  miniftry  lefs  acceptable  •  and  it  is 
commonly  thought  to  have  been  either  an  impedi- 
ment in  his  fpeech,  or  fomething  that  rendered  his 
perfonai  appearance  unpleafmg.  During  this 
vifion,  in  which  Jefus  appeared  to  him,  he  was 
ordered  to  make  hafte,  and  leave  Jerufalem,  be- 
caufe  the  Jews  of  that  place  would  not  receive  his 
word,  and  he  war,  told  that  he  would  be  fent  to  a 
great  dillance  among  the  Gentiles*. 

This  intimation  of  Jefus  to  Paul  was  foon  ve- 
rified. For  in  the  year  following,  viz.  a.  d.  45, 
during  the  public  wcrfhip  at  Antioch,  it  was  inti- 
mated ,0  one  of  the  company  who  had  the  fpirit  of 
prophecy,  that  Barnabas  and  Paul  fhould  be  let 
apait  for  fome  fpeciai  commiffion.  Accordingly, 
being  recommended  to  the  blefhng  of  God,  by 
falling  and  prayer,  they  departed,  and  in  the  firft 
ice  went  to  Cyprus,  the  native  place  of  Barna- 
bas, 


*A&3Sxiii.  17— -21. 


Sec.  VI.       CHRISTIAN  CHURCH.        Cn 

bas.  The  Roman  governor  of  the  ifland  at  t: 
time  was  Sergnis  Paulus,  a  man  of  prudence  and 
moderation,  who  hearing  of  thefe  two  miflionaries 
expivfled  a  defire  to  converfe  with  them  j  but  one 
Ely  mas,  a  Jew,  who,  like  Simon  Magtis,  pra6tifed 
magical    av  1  --woured   to  give  C.  :ior 

bad  impreflions  of  chri'tianity  ;   wlien    Pan 
ved  no  doubt  by  the  fpirit  of  God,  aftc; 
him  with   g  y,   told  him  that  he  would 

become  blind  for  a  feafon.  This  awful  d-onuncia- 
tion  being  immediately  fulfilled,  the  governor  was 
greatly  (truck  with  it,  and  declared  himfelf  a  Chrif- 
tian*. 

Leaving  Cyprus,  Paul  and  Barnabas  went  to 
Perga  in  Paraphilia,  and  there  Mark,  dilccinaged 
as  Paul  thought,  with  the  profpe6l  of  the  difficul- 
ties which  were  before  them,  declined  to  accompa- 
ny them  any  farther,  and  returned  to  Jerufalem. 
}•  Lit  they  proceeded  without  him,  and  went  to  An- 
tioch  in  Pifidia,  Wfttie  they  began  to  preach  in 
the  Jewifh  fynagogue.  There  Paul  recited  to  his 
countrymen  the  promifes  of  God  to  their  fathers 
concerning  the  Meffiah,  fhewing  that  thole  pro- 
phecies had  been  fulfilled  in  fefus,  who  had  been 
crucified,  but  whom  God  had  raifed  horn  the 
deiid.  In  confequence  of  this,  many  of  the  reli- 
gious 

*Ads  siii,  f2. 


7o         THE  HISTORY  OF  THE       Per.  I. 

gious  Jews  and  profelytes  "became  converts,  and 
feme  Gentiles  who  were  prefent  exprefTmg  a  wiHi 
to  bear  them  again  the  next  fabbath,  almofi  the 
whole  city  crouded  to  them.  This  circumfiance 
gave  great  offence  to  the  zealous  Jews,  and  by 
their  intereft  with  the  leading  men  of  the  place, 
Paul  and  Barnabas  were  expelled  from  that  coun- 
try. Many  converts,  however,  were  made,  efpe- 
cially  among  the  Gentiles,  and  by  them  others 
were  converted  in  the  neighbouring  places*. 

Leaving  Antioch,  they  went  to  Iconium,  and 
here  alfo  they  made  many  converts  both  of  Jews 
and  Greeks,  and  many  miracles  were  wrought  by 
them  there*  But  the  party  of  the  unbelieving 
Jews  prevailing,  they  were  driven  from  that  place 
as  they  had  been  from  Antioch,  and  fled  to  Lyflra, 
and  Derbe,  cities  of  Lycaonia. 

The  hiftory  of  their  preaching  at  Lyflra  is  par-  [ 
ticularly  remarkable.  At  the  gates  of  the  city  there 
fat  a  man  who  had  h-^n  lame  from  his  birth,  like  to 
him  whom  Peter  had  cured  at  the  gate  of  the  tem- 
ple. Kim  Paul  reftored  to  the  perfect,  ufe  of  his 
limbs;  and   the  people,  ftruck  with  the  prodigy, 

nediately  conceived  that  they  muft  be  twoot 
their  gods,  who  had  vifited  the  world  in  the  form 
of  men.   taking  Barnabas  to  be  Jupiter,  and  Paul 

Mercury; 

/,us  xiii.  52. 


Sec.  IV.         CHRISTIAN  CIIURCIL       71 

Mercury;    and  with  this   idea   they  br  •: 

wit!)  garlands,  and   were  pn  ,  to   offer   {'..ci- 

lice to  them,  fo  that  it  was  with  difficulty  that 
Paul,  by  an  excellent  fpeech,  in  which  he  told 
them  that  they  were  only  men  like  tlicmfdves, 
who  had  conic  to  turn  them  from  their  idol  worfhip 
to  that  God  who  made  them  and  all  things, 
diverted  them  from  their  purpofe.  Notwithstand- 
ing this  extraordinary  miracle,  fume  zealous  Jews 
from  Antioch  and  Iconium,  where  Paul  and  Bar- 
nabas had  been  preaching  before,  arriving  there, 
they  induced  the  people  to  drive  them  from  tha 
place,  and  even  to  flone  Paul,  io  that  he  was  ta- 
ken upfor  dead.  The  people  had  probably  been 
perfuaded  to  think  that  they  were  dangerous  peo- 
ple, pod'efTed  of  the  arts  of  magic,  by  which, 
hou  gh  they  might  do  fome  good,  they  would 
probably  do  more  mifchiei*, 

From  this  place  they  went  to  Derbe,  and  hav- 
ing preached  and  made  many  difciples  in  that  city, 
they  proceeded  no  farther  at  this  time,  but  ruturned 
by  wwy  of  Lyflra,  Iconium,  acd  .Antioch  in  Pifi- 
dea,  confirming  the  difciples  they  had  made,  and 
exhorting  them  not  to  be  difcouraged  at  the  afflic- 
tions they  might  be  called  to  endure,  £i  nee  they 
\vj.:iJ  have  an  abundant  recommence  in  the  king- 
dom 

*Acts  xiv. 


72         THE  HISTORY  OF  THE      Per.  I. 

Jom  of  heaven.  They  alfo  appointed  elders  in 
every  church,  and  recommending  them  by  prayer 
to  the  divine  bleffing,  they  made  a  progrefs  through 
Pifidia,  Paraphilia,  and  Perga,  to  Attalia.  From 
this  Jail  r.L-c:  they  went  by  fea  to  Antioch  in 
Syria,  from  which  they  had  fet  out,  where  they 
Save  the  church  an  account  cf  the  fuccefs  cf  their 
minifhy;   and  here  they  continued  ibme  time. 

In  this  place  I  mull   be  indulged  in  making  a 
few  reflections.     In  preaching  to   the   jews,   the 
great  obic£t  of  the  apefdes  was  to  convince  them, 
from  their  own  fcriptures,  that  Jefus  was  the  Mef- 
fiafl.      With  refpetl   to  the   proper  fundamental 
doctrines  of  religion,  fucfa  as  the  unity  ol  God,  his 
placability  to    returning  finners,  and  the  refurrec- 
tion  of  the  dead,  they  Baffi  nothing  to  add  to  their 
knowledge,  except  that,    the  evidence  of  this  lad 
mentioned  doclrine   having  been  loft,  it  was  now 
abundantly  confirmed  by  the  death  and  refurrec- 
tionof  Jefus,  who  alfo  taught  that  the  dead  would 
be  railed  a:  bis  fecbrid  glorious  coming;    that  af- 
ter  the  raffing  of  the  dead  a  change  would  take 
place  iri  the  living,  -bat  they  wculd  then  be  incor- 
ruptible, and  continue  to  exifT  t  any  farther 
propagation    of  t6e  fpecies.     With  re fpe a  to  tjbe 
wicked   we   are  taught   to    believe   that  they  v-ill 
again  as  well  as  the  virtuous ;    but  whether  it 

will 


sec.  iv.     Christian* church.     73 

tlii««ft  will  be  to  an  immortal    life,  we   arc   not  ft 
explicitly  informed. 

The  Gentil  s  had  much  more  to  learn  o 

npofllcs.  Tney  were  to  be  brought  off  from 
their  idolatrous  fafcinating  rites,  their  licentious 
feflivals,  and  a  thoufand  abfurd  and  debaGn"  iu- 
perllitions,  to  the  belief  of  one  God,  infinitely 
powerful,  wife,  and  good,  the  maker  and  pieferver 
of  all  things.  They  had  to  learn  the  maxims  of 
his  moral  government,  as  aifo  much  of  their  duty 
in  this  life,  as  well  as  every  thing  concerning 
their  expectations  in  another.  To  hear  fuch  doc- 
trines as  the  apoflles  could  teach  them  on  th  (e 
moil  important  fubjecls,  confirmed  by  the  decifive 
authority  of  miracles,  mud  have  ftfuck  the  rtiore 
confiderate  and  well  difpofed  among  them  rn  a 
manner  of  which,  we  who  have  been  brought  up 
in  the  belief  of  chriltianity,  can  hardly  form  an 
idea.  To  them  the  gofpel  would  be  indeed,  what 
its  name  imports,  viz.  good  news. 

Heathens   converted    to  chriflianity  wqulcffee 
themfelves  and  every  tiling  around  them,  in  a  n 
and  infinitely   more  important  light,  as  ui 
moral  government  of  God,  and  candidates  for  a 
happy     immortality.         With     this     perfuafion', 
they   would   not  value  this  life,   or  any  thing  t; 
they  could  lofe  or  fuller  in  it,  w  .    A. I 

Vol.  I.  K  i   »me 


74         THE  HISTORY  OF  THE         Per.  I. 

CW»^i*taxojA^ 

ther.  Accordingly,  we  (hall  find,  in  the  iequel 
of  this  hiftory,  that  many,  who  had  been  accuftom- 
ed  to  the  elegancies  and  luxuries  of  life,  ea- 
gerly ran  to  martyrdom,  even  th/bugh  torture 
generally  preceded  death.  It  is  no  wonder  that  the 
magiflrates  and  other  perfons  in  the  higher  ranks 
of  life,  who  gave  little  attention  to  the  preaching 
cf  the  gofpel,  and  who  would  not  give  themfelves 
the  trouble  even  to  look  into  any  thing  written 
by  chriftians,  were  aftonifhed  at  this  novelty,  and 
confidered  the  chriftian  converts  as  feized  with 
madnefs.  But  fo  general  an  efrecT,  upon  the  more 
fober  and  virtuous  part  of  the  community,  in  all 
countries,  the  belt  fubjects  cf  the  empire  in  all 
other  refpeclf  was  a  circumfiance  deferving  of  more 
attention  than  they  were  difpofed  to  give  to  it. 

On  the  other  hand,  it  is  no  great  wonder  that, 
attached  as  many  were  to  their  ancient  religions 
and  rices,  in  which  they  had  been  educated,  and 
which  had  been  practiced  from  time  immemorial ; 
(imagining,  as  they  did,  that  the  welfare  of  the  flate 
depended  upon  the  obfervance  of  them)  ignorant 
as  they  were  of  the  nature  and  evidences  of  chru- 
tianily,  uninquifitive  about  it,  and  liftening  to  eve- 
ry  idle  and  malicious  (lander  againft  thofe  who 
made  profeffion  of  the  new  religion,  fo  many  per- 
fons in  the  higher  ranks  of  life,  and  even  men  ot 

letter?. 


Sec.  V.        CHRISTIAN     CHURCH, 


75 


litters,  and  philosophers,  as   well    s  of  the  lowed 
rabble,  who  will  liften  to  not!"  ig  rational  or 
ous,  ilill  continued  bigoted  heathens. 


SECTION     V. 


From  the    Council    of  the  Apo files  to  Paul's  third 
apojlolical  Journey. 


w 


r?  HILE  Paul  and  Barnabas  were 
at  Antioch,  Peter  arrived  at  that  city  from  Jerusa- 
lem *  and  rinding  many  Gentile  converts,  he  did 
not  fcruple  to  converfe  and  communicate  with 
them.  But  other  chriftians,  pretending  to  have 
the  authority  of  James  (who  feems  to  have  had  the 
chief  influence  at  Jerufalcm)  infifted  on  the  new 
converts  being  circumcifed,  and  becoming  in  all 
refpe&s  profelytes  to  Judaifm;  and  Peter,  rather 
than  difpleafe  thefe  perfons,  abftained  from  com- 
municating with  the  Gentile  Converts,  and  aiToci- 
ated  with  the  Jews  only.     This  conduQ;  in  Peter 

gave 


7G        THE  HISTORY  OF  THE       Per.  I. 

gave  juft  a? arm  and  offence  to  Paul,  who  had  been 
Ely  inftrumental  in  fpreading  the  gofpel 
among  the  Gentiles,  and  who,  on  that  account, 
was  naturally  more  zealous  for  their  liberty.  He 
therefore  freely  and  publicly  expoflulated  with 
Peter  on  the  impropriety  and  inconfiftency  of  his 
conduci  ;  and  this  excellent  man  did  not  perfifl. 
in  what  he  was  convinced  was  wrong*. 

The  more  zealous  Jewifh  chriftians,  however, 
unmoved  by  the  remon (trances  of  Paul,   or  the  ac- 
quiescence of  Peter,  flill  maintained  that  there  was 
no  falvation  out  of  the   Mofaic  inflitutions,  and 
infilled    upon  the  Gentile  converts  conforming  in 
all  refpedts  to  them ;    and  the  church  being  much 
diflurbed  by  this  contention,   they  agreed  to  fend 
Barnabas  and  Paul,    who  had  been   their  meflen- 
gcrs  on  a    former  occafion,  to  confult  the  whole 
body    of  the  apoftles   and    elders   at    Jerufalem. 
Thefetwo  miflionaries  gave   an  account  of  all  that 
God   had    done  by  their  means  in  Gentile  coun- 
tries   to   the  chrdl ian   focietier,    in  their  journey 
through    Phenice  and   Samaria,   and  by  them  the 
news  was  heard  with  great  joy.     But  when   they 
came  to  jerufalem,  they  were  not  able  to  give  the 
fame  fatisfadlion  to  their  brethren  thcret. 

However,  on  a  day    appointed  to  confider  of 

the 

*Gal.  ii.  11.  fAclssv.  3. 


Si:c.  V.         CHRISTIAN  CHURCH.  ?7 

the   matter,    after  much    contention,  Peter,  Rood 
up  ninded  them  how  God  had  fome  time 

before    given   his  fen&ion  tojhe  admifljonof  be- 

lieving  Gentiles  into  the  chriftian  church,  by  im- 
parting to  them  the  gifts  of  the  fpirit  as  he  bad 
done  to  themfelyee ;  and  faid  that  it  was  urn 
fonable  to  impofe  upon  the  Gentiles  fo  heavy  a 
yoke,  as  the  obfervance  of  the  Jaws  of  Mofes  mud 
be  to  them,  when  it  would  make  no  difference 
with  refpea  to  their  final  falvation. 

This  was  followed  by  Paul  and  Barnabas  giv- 
ing a  diftina  account  of  the  effea  of  their  preach- 
ing  to  the  Gentiles,  and  of  the  miracles  with 
which  it  had  been  attended.  On  this  James  re- 
colleaed  feveral  pailiges  of  the  ancient  prophets, 
which  he  thought,  implied  that  the  Gentiles  were 
to  he  admitted  into  the  future  kingdom  of  the 
Mefiiah,  and  gave  it  as  his  opinion,  that  the  new 
converts  mould  not  be  troubled  with  the  obfer- 
vance of  the  whole  law,  but  that  it  mould  be  re- 
commended to  them  to  abflain  from  idols  (mean- 
ing probably  from  partaking  of  the  feafts  in  facri- 
ficmg  to  idols)  from  fornication  (to  which  the  re- 
ligion of  the  heathens  gave  too  much  countenance, 
and  of  the  criminality  of  which  the  heathens  in 
general  made  very  light)  form  things  (hanglcd,  a 
from  blood. 

In  this  opinion  the  whole  aiTcmbly  acquiefced. 

and 


78         THE  HISTORY  OF  THE      Per.  I. 

and  accordingly  an  epiftle  was  drawn  up,  addrefT- 
ed  to  the  Gentile  Chriftians  in  Antioch,  Syria,  and 
Cilicia,  by  whom  Paul  and  Barnabas  had  been 
fent,  to  that  purpofe;  alluring  them  that,  notwith- 
Handing  what  fome  had  faid,  they  had  no  autho- 
rity from  them  to  infill  upon  their  being  circum- 
cifed,  or  ebferving  the  laws  of  Mofes.  Along 
with  this  letter,  and  the  bearers  of  it,  Paul  and  Bar- 
t)aba?3  they  fenr.  Judas  and  Silas,  who  were  pro- 
bably elder j  at  Jerufakm,  to  give  them  a  farther 
account ;  and  when  it  was  delivered  at  Antioch, 
it  gave  the  greateft  fatisfa&ion  to  the  whole  ailem- 
bly.  Judas  and  Silas  continued  in  that  city  fome 
time,  encouraging  the  brethren  ;  and  when  Judas 
returned  to  Jerufalem,  Silas  chofe  to  remain  at 
Antioch*. 

This  folemn  aflernbly,  or  council,  of  theapof- 
tles  was  probably  held  a.  d.  49,  and  the  year 
following,  Paul  and  Barnabas  refolved  upon  a  fe- 
cond  progrefs  through  thofe  parts  of  Alia  Minor, 
which  they  had  vifited  in  their  former  journey.  But 
when  Barnabas  propofed  to  take  Mark  with  them, 
Paul  objected  to  htm  on  account  of  his  having  left 
them  before  ;  and  not  being  able  to  agree,  they 
took  different  routs,  Barnabas  being  accompanied 
by   Mark,   and   Paul  by  Silas ;  and   as   Barnabas 

chofe 


Sec.  V.       CHRISTIAN  CHURC  70 

chofe  to  go  to  Cyprus,  Paul  took  tT. 
Syria  and  Ciliciaj  each  of  them  b<  ^ro- 

\s  through  thofe  countries  with  w  hi    .        was 
bed  acquainted.  ;:* 

Of  what  Barnabas  did  in  his  pro.;,  J  to 

the  end  of  his  life,  we  arc  not  informed  ;  but  Paul 
being  attended  in  a  great  meafure  by  Luke,  the 
writer  of  the  book  of  Acts,  we  arc  happily  well  ac- 
quainted with  his  fubfequent  hiftory  ;  arid  as  he 
laboured  more  than  any  of  the  apoRIes  in  the  pro- 
pagation of  the  gofpel,  and  was  more  fuccefsful  in 
it,  efpeciaily  in  Gentile  countries,  and  above  all  in 
Greece,  the  feat  of  learning  and  the  arts,  it  is  by  far 
of  the  mod  importance  for  us  to  be  informed  of  the 
particulars  of  his  progrefs.  We  cannot,  indeed, 
be  without  our  wilhes  to  know  more  of  the  hiftorv, 
public  and  private,  of  the  reft  of  the  apoftles,  and 
others  who  diRinguifhed  themfelves  by  their  early 
:hment  to  chriftianity,  but  it  is  a  curiofity 
which,  for  wife  reafons,  no  doubt,  it  lias  nctpleaf- 
ed  divine  providence  to  gratify.  As  to  any  honour 
which,  from  this  cireum  fiance,  might  have  accrued 
to  them,  it  is  not  probable  that  they  had  any  de- 
:  or  thought  of  the  kind.  It  was  efteemed  enough 
by  them  to  partake  of  that  glory  which  will  be  re- 
vealed at  the  great  c?\\  when  every  man's  virtue! 

and 

•  Aits  xv.  41. 


So         THE  HISTORY  OF  THE      Per.  I. 

and  exertions  will  be  fufficiently  known,  and  when 
merit  will  be  better  appreciated  than  it  can  be  at 
prefent.  Let  this  confederation  leffen  our  defire 
for  what  is  called  immortality  in  this  world,  in 
having  our  names  transmitted  with  applaufe  to 
aidant  generations  ;  extending  our  views  to  that 
which  will  commence  when  this  world,  and  what 
is  ufually  called  time,  (hall  be  no  more. 

But  dropping  thefe  reflections,  let  us  attend  to 
the  progrefs  of  Paul;  and  now  we  fhall  find  him 
not  contenting  himfelf  with  vifiting  the  churches 
which  he  had  planted  before,  but  greatly  extend- 
ing his  circuit,  and  planting  many  new  churches, 
and  far  more  con fidei able  ones,  in  the  more  diftant 
parts  of  Afia  Minor,  and  alfo  in  Greece.  Having 
palled  through  Syria  and  Cilicia,  he  came  to  Der- 
beand  Lyflra,  which  he  had  vifited  in  his  former 
journey  ;  and  at  the  latter  of  thefe  places  he  took 
Timothy  to  accompany  him  in  his  farther  progrefs. 
This  young  man  was  one  of  the  mod  diflinguilh- 
ed  of  Paul's  difciples,  and  though  his  father  was  a 
Greek,  yet  as  his  mother  was  a  jewefs,  he  caufed  him 
to  be  circumcifed;  which  fufficiently  (hews  that, 
notwithstanding  Paul's  zeal  for  the  liberty  of  the 
Gentile  chriftians,  he  believed  in  the  obligation  of 
the  laws  of   Mofes  upon  all  who  were  of  Jewifh 

extraction*. 

As 

A  els  xvi,  8. 


Sec.  V.         CHRISTIAN  CHURCH.  ti 

As  in  his  former  pr<  I  had  vifi'cr]  on- 

ly the  fouthern  and  interior  parts  ol  AGa  Minor, 
he  now  directed  his  comic  through    tl  hern 

and  weftern  parts;  going  through  Galatia  and 
Phrygia  ;    but  '  by  the  fpirit  not 

to  preach  at  that  time  in  AGa  proper,  or  that  pro- 
vince of  which  Ephcfus  was  the  capital,  he  went 
to  My  ha  ;  and  wherever  he  cime  he  recited  the 
epiftle    of   the   i  at  Jerufalem,   which  gave 

fucli  fatisfaction  to  the  Gentile  converts,  (hat  the 
churches  formerly  eftablifhed  were  confirmed,  and 
their  numbers  were  increafed.  From  Myfia,  Paul 
had  intended  to  go  to  Bythinia;  bat  being  direct- 
ed by  the  fpirit  of  God,  he  came  to  Tioas,  a  city 
on  the  coafl  of  the  /Egean  fea,  over  againft  Mace- 
donia; and  there  he  appears  to  have  been  joined 
by  Luke  the  writer  of  the  hiflory,  as  horn  this 
time  he  ufes  the  plural  number  zuc,  &c.  That 
chriftian  churches  were  every  where  eftablifhed 
in  all  the  places  through  which  Paul  had  paSed, 
appears  from  the  fubfequent  hiflory,  though  no 
mention  is  made  of  them  in  this  conciie  account. 

Paul  was  now  come  to  the  weftern  extremity 
of  Afia  Minor,  and  his  purpofe  to  crofs  the  lea, 
and  vifit  Greece^  was  fuggefted  to  him  by  a  vifion, 
in  which  a  man  ol  Macedonia  appeared  to  him, 
and  intreated  him  to  go  and  help  them.  Accord- 
ingly, he  and  his  company  went  fir  ft  to  the  ifland 
Voi.  I.  L  Samothrac^ 


82         THE  HISTORY  OF  THE      Per.  I. 

Samothracc ;  and  then,  landing  on  the  continent  at 
Neapolis,  they  proceeded  to  Philippi,  the  metro- 
polis of  that  part  of  Macedonia,  and  a  Roman 
colony.  Having  waited  a  few  days,  they  went  on 
the  fabbath  to  a  place  by  the  river  fide,  whither, 
f  y  want  perhaps  of  a  prop  "gue,  the  Jews 

ufed  to  refort  for  prayer.  At  this  place  the  women 
particularly  attendee],  and  a  convert  being  made 
cf  a  ivorrian  whofe  name  was  Lydia,    a  (Viler  of 

pie  (which  being  a  valuable  commodity  at  that 
time,  implies  feme  degree  of  opulence  in  thofe  who 
vended  it)  ihe  prevailed  upon  Paul  and  his  com- 

ions  to  go  into  her  houfe,  and  entertained  them 
fome  days*. 

In  this  place  Paul  brought  himfelf  and  his 
companions  into  difficulty  by  a  mofl  benevolent 
miracle,  An  infane  woman,  thought  to  be  pofFeiT- 
ed  by  a  fpirit  which  enabled  her  to  tell  fortunes, 
and  who  by  that  means  had  been  the  fource  of 
great  gains  to  feme  perfons  whofe  (lave  file  was, 
frequently  fhouting  after  Paul  and  Lis  friends, 
attd  calling  them  (what  (he  had  probably  heard  of 
themfelves,  or  others)  the  fervants  of  the  mofl  high 
God,  who  were  come  to  (hew  them  the  way  of 
falvation;  Paul  (feeling,  no  doubt,  a  divine  irh- 
pulfe)    pi  enounced    her   cured   in    the   name    of 

Jefus 

■?is  xv i.  15. 


Sec.  CHRISTIAN  CUT' 

TcfuS  Chrifl;    on  which   fhe  was  ir.fl  intl 

to  her  right  mind.      Th 

mailers  vanilbing  with  her  >,    they  were*  To 

provoked,    that,  .;    Paul  .  is,  and  J 

fuading  the   mngiflra.es    that,    being    ft  ws,    they 
were  introducing  foreign  cuftems,  forbidden  b)  I 
Roman  laws,  they  procured  tti  order  to  have  them 

feverely  fcourged,  and  put  in  pr. 

So    far   was   this  unjufl   and   cruel    treatment 
from  being    felt   as  an  affliction   by  Paul  and 
companion,  that  though  they  were  not  only    con- 
fined by  walls,   but  were  farther  fccuicd  by  having 
their  feet  put  in  the  flocks,  theyfpent  the  night  in 
fi nging  praifes  to  God.      It  pleafed  the  divine be^ 
iner,  however,  to  efFe£l  their  deliverance  in  a  mira- 
culous  manner,  and  by  that  means  to  procure  great 
refpeclto  the  chriflian  caufe  in  this  city,  the  ;'. 
in  which  the  gofpel  had  been  preached  on  the  con- 
tinent  of  Greece.      For  at  midnight    I 
great  earthquake,  attended  with  the  ope 
doors  of  the  prifon,  and  what  was   infinitely  more 
extraordinary,  the  loofing  of  the    bonds  by   wl 
the  prifoners  were  confined. 

The  keeper  of  the  prifon,  awaked  by  the  ea 
.  and  feeing  the  prifon  doors  open,   di 
■    .  was    going  to  kill  himlelf, 

hr  an  ig'nominio  h  fq?  the  n< 

duty;  with  *i  he,  no  d 

. 


84         THE  HISTORY  OF  THE       Per.  I. 

he  fhould  be  charged ;  but  Paul,  perceiving  his 
intention,  called  out  to  him  aloud,  telling  him 
thev  were  all  fafe.  Thus  encouraged,  he  got  a 
light  and  ran  into  the  place ;  and  being  much 
terrified,  though  pleafed  to  find  that  what  Paul 
had  faid  was  true,  he  fell  at  their  feet,  and  having 
probably  heard  them  preach,  and  been  fomewbat 
imprefled  with  their  difcourfe,  and  being  now- 
convinced  of  the  prefence  of  God  with  them,  he 
eagerly  aflced  what  hejliculd  do  to  befaved.  Whe- 
ther by  falvation  he  meant  the  happir,efs  of  a  future 
flate  or  not,  Paul  undei  (landing  him  in  that  fenfe, 
replied  that,  if  he  believed  in  Jelus  Chrift  he 
would  befaved.  Being  afterwards  more  at  leifure 
in  the  houfe  into  which  the  jailer  had  taken  his 
jDnfoners,  they  difcourfed  to  him  more  at  large 
concerning  the  chriftian  religon ;  and  he  and  his 
family  being  convinced  of  its  truth,  they  were  all 
baptized,  and  fpent  the  remainder  of  the  night  in 
great  joy. 

When  it  was  day,  the  magi  ft  rates,  reflecting 
upen  the  violence  and  irregularity  of  their  pro- 
ceedings, fent  orders  to  relcafc  their  prifoners ;  but 
Paul,  raking  advantage  of  his  privilege  of  a  Roman 
citizen,  which  he  inherited  from  his  father,  replied 
that,  as  they  Ind  acled  contrary  to  the  Roman  law 
in  fcourging  a  citizen  of  Rome,  he  would  nftt 
.  e  the  place  till  they  waited  upon   him  tfaem- 

fclves. 


Sec.  V.         CHRISTIAN  CHURCH.  8- 


■  ) 


felvcs.     At    this   the  magifiratet  w  a  little 

alarmed,  and  having  come,  and  made  their  acko 
ledgments,  they  prevailed  upon  them,  aft.     . 
entreaty,  to    go  away.      Accordingly,  after  p.-. 
another  vifit  to  Lydia,    and  encouraging  thedifci- 
ples  they  had  made,  they  left  Philippi,  and  pad) 
through    Amphipolis,  and  Ap<  lloniaj   they  came 
to  TneiTdonica,   where    there  were   Jews*.     T 
reafon  of  their  making  no  flay  at  either  of  I 
other  p'aces  probab'y   was  there  being  few   or  no 
Jews  in  them  ;    and  at  this  rime  Paul  always  chofe 
to    addrefs  himfeif  in   the  firft  place  to  the  Jews. 
And  it  was  a   great    convenience  to  the  preachers 
of  the  gofpel  to  find  regular  places   of  worfhip,  to 
which  a  number  of  per  Tons  always  reforted,    arid 
where  they   themfelves  could   confeientioufly    at- 
tend.      Alfo,    befides    Jews,    curiofity    generally 
brought  Tome  of  the  Gentiles  to  their  fynagogues. 
At  Theffalonica  our  miffionaries  were  far  irom 
deriving   any  advantage    from    their  countrymen. 
For  after  they  had  preached  fame  time,  and  made 
fame  difciples,  the  unbelieving  jews  infulted  th 
in  the  grolTcfl  manner,  afTaulting  the  houfe  of  one 
Jafon  their  friend,  leavouring.to  e? 

common  peoph  nit  them.     Not  findin 

at  the  houfe  of  y  took  hi 

l. 


36         THE  HISTORY  OF  THE         Per.  I. 

the  difciples  to  the  magiftrates,  accusing  them  of 
rebellion  againfl  the  emperor,  in  confequence  of 
fethng  up  another  king  called  Jefus.  At  this  the 
rulers  and  the  people  were  much  diilurbcd ;  but 
not  entering  in'o  all  the  violence  of  the  profecu- 
tois.  they  contented  themfelves  with  taking  {eenrity 
of  Jafon  arid  the  other  difciples  of  the  place,  and 
trien  dimiiTed  Paul  and  his  companions.  Appre- 
henfive  however  of  the  malice  of  their  enemies, 
they  lelt  the  place  by  night,  and  came  to  Berea, 
where  they  found  the  Jews  better  difpofed  than  in 
mod  c\  ces  ;  for  they  gave    Paula  pat; 

hearing,    and,    as  he  appealed    to   the    fcriptures', 
they  examined  by  them  the  truth  of   what  he  ad- 
vanced ;  '     /  made:  many  converts; both 
of  Jews  and  Greeks ;    and  among  them  were  fe 
ral  women  of  condition. 

But  the  Jews  who  had  perfecuted  them  at 
ThefTalonica,  hearing  that  they  were  received  at  Be- 
rea,  incited  the  common  people  to  infult  themjthere 
alio.  In  confequence  of  this,  the  difciples,  after 
making  preparation  for  fending  away  Paul  by  fea, 
conducted  him  by  land  to  Athens,  while  Silas 
and  Time:  tinned   at    Berea,    in!  to 

p<  OGble*. 

At  A'hcns  we  find  Paul  in  a  fitual 

er 

1    .    , 


Sec.  V.        CHRISTIAN     CHURCH.        87 

crably  different  from  any  that  he  had   I  be- 

fore, and  they    who  hav 

ot  the  learning  which  was  cull  it  city, 

cannot    but  have    their  curio fity  excited   to  kr, 

-  he  would  conduct  himfelf   there.     Far  fr 
being  intimidated  by  tl 

the   Athenians,    Paul    not  only,  di I  ith  the 

Jews  in  their  fynagogues,  as  in  other  cities,  but  in 
places   of  public  concourfe   with  any   pe.Ton  that 
in  his  w 

Alter  behaving  in  this  manner  for  fome 
forne   philofophers  of  the    Epicurean    and    Stoic 
feeds  (ot  whom  the  former  made  pleafure  the  great 
end  of  life,  while  the  latter   afFefted  to  acl    upon 
maxims   of  the  mod   rigid  molality)  endeavoured 
to  exoofe    him    to  ridicule  ;   calling  him  an  idle 
prater.     But  that  not  filencing  him,  oranfweri 
their  purpofe,  they  brought  agajnft  him  a  feric 
accufation  of  introducing  new        '•.   becaufe   he 
bout    Jefus  and   the  refurre£lion.     In 
anfwer  to   :  rge  he  was   1  to  make  his 

.nee  before  the  Areopagus,  the  moil  refpeclablc 
court  of  judicature  in  that  city,  or  in  aU   Greece, 
iich'1     I  cognizance  of  all  matters  of  religi- 
on.    The  judges   of  this   court  fat  on  benches   of 
ftone  in  th<  air,    and  before  therm  Paul 

intei  .  rning    tl  hich 

he  was  charged  with  preaching  : 

A3 


88         THE  HISTORY  OF  THE      Per.  I. 

As  it  was  a  crme  to  introduce  the  woifhip  of 
any  new  deit) ,  without  the  authority  of  the  Hate, 
Paul,  with  great  addrefs,  took  advantage  of  an  in- 
fcription  which  he  had  feen  on  one  of  their  altais, 
which  was  dedicated  To  the  unknown  God, 
to  compliment  the  Athenians  on  the  attention 
which  they  gave  to  the  fubjtcl  of  religion  ;  and 
find  that  the  God  which  he  had  preached  to  them, 
was  he  to  whom  rhey  had  paid  woifhip.  though 
without  having  fufficient  knowledge  of    him,   viz. 

God  who  made  -he  wcrld  and  all  things  in  it. 
This  God,  he  faid,  unlike  the  other  objects  of  their 

[hip,  did  not  dwell  in  temples  made  by  men, 
or  Hand  in  need  of  any  ferviccs  which  they  could 
render  him,  fince  he  was  to  all,  the  giver  of  life, 
and  of  every  enjoyment.  He  added,  that  what 
one  of  their  own  poets  had  faid  of  Jupiter,  viz.  that 
mankind  are  his  offspring,  was  eminently  true  of 
this  God ;  and  hence  he  argued  that,  if  men  are 
the  offspring  of  God,  and  refemble  him,  he  could 
not  be  rcprefented  by  inch  lifelels  hVatues  of  gold, 
filver,  or  Hone,  as  thofe  to  which  they  paid  their 
devotions.  He  then  informed  them  that,  though 
God  had  thought  (it  to  permit  this  improper  wor- 
fhip  for  a  time,  he  now  called  upon  all  mankind  to 
abandon  it,  and  adopt  a  more  rational  fervice  of 
him.  He  farther  allured  them  that  God  had  fix- 
ed a  day  on  which  he  would  judge  all  men  accord- 
ing 


Sec.V.         CHRISTIAN  CHURCH.         8e> 

in^  to  their  works,  by  Jefus  Chrift,  whom  he  had 
appointed  for  that  purpofe,  and  that  his  divine 
milfijn  was  confirmed  by  his  rcfurreclion  from  the 
dead. 

In  this  part  of  his  difcourfe  Paul  was  inter- 
rupted by  fome  who  laughed  at  the  idea  of  a  refur- 
rection ;  but,  as  far  as  appears,  without  inqui- 
ring into  the  evidence  that  Paul  could  have  addu* 
eel  for  it.  Others,  however,  exprelled  a  wifh  to 
hoar  him  farther  on  this  intereftirig  fubjeel,  and  he 
was  probably  difmifled  without  punifhment,  or 
cenfure.  At  Athens  Paul  made  fome,  though 
not  many  converts.  Among  them,  however,  was 
Dionyfius  a  member  of  the  court  before  which  he 
h..d  pleaded,  and  a  woman  whofe  name  was  Da- 
marib*. 

It  is  to  the  honour  of  Athens,  that  Paul  met 
with  no  ill  ufage  there;  but  that  when  he  thought 
proper,  after  being  joined  by  Timothy,  he  left 
that  city,  and  came  to  Corinth,  where  he  met  with 
a  Jew  of  the  name  of  Aquila,  and  his  wife  Prifcilla, 
who  had  left  Rome  in  confequence  of  Claudius 
having  bammed  all  Jews  from  the  metropolis  of 
the  empiret.  This  man  was  a  tent-maker,  and 
Vol.  I.  H  Paul 

*Acls  xvii.  34. 

f  Suetonius,  who  mentions  this  banifhment  of  the 
Jews  from  Rome,  fays  it  was  on  account  of  their  c  onti 

nuallv 


9o         THE  HISTORY  OF  THE         Per.  I. 

Paul  having  been  taught  the  fame  art,  worked 
with  him,  and  maintained  himfelf  by  his  labour. 
Here,  as  in  other  places,  Paul  attended  in  the  fyna- 
gogue  every  fabbath  day,  and  there  laboured  to 
convince  both  Jews  and  Greeks  of  the  truth  of  the 
chriftian  religion,  and  that  Jefus  was  thepromifed 
Meffiah  ;  and  Silas  and  Timothy  having  joined 
him  from  Macedonia,  he  exerted  himfelf  flill  more, 
being  animated  by  their  fociety. 

At 

aually  mating  tumults  at  the  mitigation  of  Chreftus 
Vit.  Claudii.  C.  25.  By  this  he  probably  meant  Jefus, 
and  Dr.  Benfon  fuppofes  that  the  tumults  he  fpeaks  of 
were  fuch  as  were  occalioned  by  their  violent  oppoti- 
tion  to  chriiftiaritty  at  its  introduction  into  Rome,  fimi- 
lar*  to  thofe  which  they  excited  in  other  places  on  the 
fame  account.  It  is  indeed  probable  that  chriftianity 
had  been  preached  in  Rome  at  this  time,  and  that  the 
zealous  Jews  oppofed  the  introduction  of  it  is  equally 
probable  ;  but  as  fuch  tumults  as  thefe  could  hardly  be 
fo  great  as  to  give  occafion  to  fuch  a  meafure  as  the 
banifhment  of  all  Jews,  chriflians  and  others,  I  fhould 
rather  u.ink  that  Suetonius,  in  whofe  time  the  chrifli- 
ans made  a  confiderable  figure  ;  and  to  whom  Nero 
had  afcribed  the  burning  of  Rome,  imagined,  without 
any  rcafon  for  it,  that  this  edicl  of  Claudius  had  a  fimi- 
lar  caufe.  Jofephus  takes  no  notice  of  this  edicl,  and  it 
is  evident  from  the  fubfequcnt  hiftory  that  it  was  not 
of  long  continuance,  whether  it  expired  with  the  death 
of  Claudius  or  not, 


Sec.  V.         CHRISTIAN  CHURCH. 

At  length  the  unbelieving  Jews  were  fo  much  of- 
fended at  Paul,  and  oppofed  him  with  fo  mu 
lence  that,  perceiving  they  would  hear  no  rcafon,  he 
folcmuly  (hook  his  garment  in  their  place  of  pub- 
lic worfhip,  faying,  "  Your  blood  be  upon  your 
"own  heads.  lam  innocent  of  your  ruinf.  I  (hall 
"now  preach  to  the  Gentiles."  Accordingly, 
quitting  the  fynagogue,  he  from  this  time  madeufe 
of  the  houfe  of  one  Julius,  a  pious  man,  who  li- 
ved near  the  place.  He  had  not,  however,  preach- 
ed in  vain  before ;  for  Cnfpus,  the  chief  ruler  of  the 
fynagogue,  was  converted,  and  many  others  with 
him.  Farther  to  encourage  Paul,  Jefus  appeared 
to  him,  and  bade  him  continue  to  preach  with  all 
boldnefs,  for  that  no  perfon  mould  hurt  him,  and 
that  he  had  much  people  in  that,  city.  In  confe- 
quence  of  this  he  continued  there  a  year  and  fix 
months. 

In  the  mean  time,  the  unbelieving  ]twsy 
difturbed,  no  doubt,  at  the  many  converts  which 
Paul  made,  brought  him  before  Gallio  the  Roman 
governor  of  the  province,  ace u fin g  him  of  teaching 
men  to  worfhip  God  in  a  manner  contrary  to  the 
laws  of  Mofes.  But  when  Gallio  found  that  the 
charge  related  only  to  their  religion,  he  c 
that  he  would  not  interfere  in  any  bufinefs  of  that 

I,  and  difmifled  them  unheard*. 

During 

A6U  xviii.  17. 


94         THE  HISTORY  OFT  HE      Per,  I. 

During  Paul's  refidence  at  Corinth,  he  wrote 
twoepifllesto  the  chriftians  at  Theflalonica,  from 
which  place  he  had  been  driven  by  a  persecution 
which  had  probably  extended  to  his  difciples  :  for 
Timothy  having  joined  Paul  at  Athens,  had  by 
him  been  fent  back  to  Theflalonica,  to  comfort 
them  under  their  fufferings  from  the  unbelieving 
Jews,  and  to  confirm  them  in  the  faith  of  the  goi- 
pel*.  In  the  firft  of  the  epiftles  which  he  now 
wrote  to  them,  befides  having  the  tame  object  with 
his  meiTage  by  Timothy,  he  gave  them  a  more 
particular  account  of  the  chriflian  doclrine  of  the 
refurreclion,  which  fome  of  them  feem  to  have 
mifapprehended.  And  happy  it  is  for  us  that  this 
apoftle  had  fuch  an  occafion  to  explain  himfelf  fo 
'fully  on  this  important  fubjeel:,  as  well  as  m  his 
epiflle  to  the  Corinthians  afterwards ;  fince  by  this 
means  we  are  acquainted  with  feme  particulars 
concerning  it,  of  which  we  mufl  otherwife  have 
been  ignorant. 

The  firft  epiflle  to  the  Theflalonians,  written 
a.  d.  52,  is  the  oldeft  writing  now  extant  of  any 
chriflian,  and  being  unqueflionably  authentic,  and 
written  not  long  after,  and  even  during,  the  time 
ofthetranfa£lions  to  which  it  alludes,  it  fupplies 
the  moft  indifputable  evidence  of  feveral  of  thofe 
fads  which  are   infeparably  connected  with,  and 

neceflarily 
*The(T.  iii,  2. 


Sec.  V.       CHRISTIAN    CHURCH, 


93 


neceffarily  imply,  the  truth  of  every  thing  that  is 
effential  in  thechriflian  hiftory. 

The  fecond  epiflle  to  the  ThefTalonians    was 
written  not  many  months  after  the  firft,  which  ap 
pears  to  have  been  very  favourably  received  ; 
Paul  wrote  this  fecond  in  order  to  give  the  chi 
ans  of  that  place  fome  farthei  admonitions,  ar  '       > 
fome  information    with    i  to   the   n 

which  they  were  ftill  under,  efpecially  as  ro  the 
near  approach  of  the  day  of  judgment.  B 
thefe  epiftles  abound  with  excellent  moral  precepts, 
expreffed  with  great  energy,  which  clearly  fh 
that  the  great  object  of  the  preachers  of  the  gofpel 
had  nothing  of  ambition  or  felfifhnefs  in  it;  but 
that  it  was  intended  to  reform  the  world,  and  to 
prepare  men  by  good  difpofiaons  and  good  con- 
duct in  this  life,  for  the  proper  employment  and 
happineis  of  another. 

From  Corinth  alfo  it 'is  probable  that  Paul 
wrote  the  epiflle  to  the  churches  of  Galatia  which 
had  been  troubled  by  fome  *  Jewifh  converts  who 
had  conceived,  and  endeavoured  to  propagate, 
prejudices  again  ft  his  authority,  and,  who  had 
inculcated  the  neceffity  of  the  Gentile  converts  con- 
forming to  circutneifion,  and  all  the  inftitutions  oi 
Mofes.  On  this  account  Paul,  in  this  t  pi  I 
enlarges  on  the  evidence  of  his  apoflolic  authority, 
as  what  he  had  received  from  Jefus  himfelf,  and 

net 


6.4         THE  HISTORY  OF  THE      Per.  I. 

not  from  the  other  apofiles.  This  he  fhews  by 
a  fuccinct  account  of  his  hi  (lory  :  and  he  endea-  , 
vours  by  a  variety  cf  arguments  to  keep  thofe  to 
whom  he  writes,  firm  in  the  profeflion  and  prac- 
tice of  the  pure  gofpel  of  Jefus,  unadulterated 
with  any  mixture  from  the  inftiturions  cf  Mofes, 
as  they  were  not  obligatory  upon  the  Gentile  con- 
verts. He  concludes  this,  as  well  as  his  other 
epifjjes,  with  practical  admonitions  and  exhorta- 
tions. 

If  the  epiflle  of  Titus  was  written,  as  Dr. 
Lardncr  fupppofes,  from  Macedonia,  in  Paul's 
third  journey,  it  is  probable  that  he  vifited  Crete 
from  Corinth  at  this  time ;  as  he  does  not  appear 
ever  to  have  been  nearer  to  Crete  than  he  was 
now,  and  to  Titus  he  had  committed  the  care  of 
the  churches  in  that  ifland. 

Paul  continued  at  Corinth  fome  time  alter 
this,  and  then  thinking  to  return  to  Syria,  he  tool; 
Aquila  and  Prifcilla  with  him  ;  and  having  fha- 
ved  his  head  at  Cenchrea,  the  port  of  Corinth 
(for  he  had  made  fome  vow,  and  fcrupulcufly 
> formed  to  the  Jewifh  ritual  with  refpedl;  to  it) 
he  took  (Hip  there,  and  failed  to  Ephefus>  where  he 
left  his  two  companions.  As  for  himfelf,  he,  ac- 
cording to  his  cuflom,  attended  the  fynagogue 
wqrfhin  j   place,   and   preached  to  the  Jews 

)  retorted  to  it.     But  though  he  was  prrifed  (o 

continue 


Sec.  V.         CHRISTIAN  CHURCH.         95 

continue   fomc  time  at  Epfaelus,   he   declined   it, 
alleging  that  he  mud  of  neceflity   be  at  Jerufali 
at  the  next  fefttvalj    and  promifing   to  return  if  it 

pleafcd  Go  I,  he    left  his  friends  there,  and  v 
to  fea  by     \     irea.      Hiving  gone  thence  to  Jeru- 
falem,  to  (hew  his  refpeel  to  the  church  there,  he 
returned   to    Antioch    from  which     he     had    fet 
out*. 

This  was  a  mod  important  journey,  as  by 
means  of  it  the  knowledge  of  the  gofpei  was  much 
extended,  chndian  churches  being  now  planted 
in  the  moll  conhderable  cities  of  Afia  Minor,  Ma- 
cedonia, and  Greece;  and  from  thefe  cities  chrifli- 
anity  would  loon  fpread  itfelf  to  the  neighbouring 
towns  of  lefs  note,  and  from  them  to  the  villages. 
This  brings  tht  hiftory  of  chridianity  to  a.  d,  53. 
Acls  xviii.  22 


SECTION 


96        THE  HISTORY  OF  THE       Per,  I 


SECTION  VI, 

From  Pauls'*   third  Journey  to  his  Confinement  at 

Jerufalem. 

il    AUL  having  continued  fome  time  at 
Antiocb,     but  probably  not  a  whole  year,  fet    out 
upon  his   third   apoflolicai  journey,  to  preach  the 
gofpel  in  Afia  and   Greece  ;  and   having    made  a 
regular  progrefs   through    Galatia,    and  Phrygia, 
he  came  to   Ephefus,  where  he    had   left    Aquila 
and  Prifcilla,  and  where,  in  his  abfence,  had  been 
Apollos,    a   Jew    of  Alexandria,    very    eloquent 
and  well  verfed  in  the    fcriptures,    but    only    ac- 
quainted with  the  preaching  and  baptifm  of  John 
till  by  Aquila  and  Prifcilla  he  was  informed  of  the 
doarine  of  Chrilr.     Being  difpofed  to  pafs   into 
Achaia  the  difciples  recommended  them  to  their 
brethien    there,    and   he   was  of  great  ufe  in   that 
country,  in  ftrengtheing  the  believers,  and  making 
converts  among  the  Jews ;  convincing  them   from 
the  fcriptures  that  Jefus  was  the    Mefliah.     Apol 
los  was  at  Corinth  when  Paul  arrived  at  Ephefus. 
Here  Paul  meeting  with  a  company  of  twelve 
men,  befides  women,  who,  like  Apollos,  had  been 

baptized 


Sec.  VI.        CHRISTIAN  CHURCH        $7 

baptized  by  John,  but  wcic  unacquainted  with 
the  doclrine  ot  Jefus,  he  inftrucUd  them  in  it, 
and  baptized  them  in  the  name  oi  Jefus.  After 
this  Paul  laid  his  hands  on  them,  and  the  Holy 
Spirit  came  upon  them,  fo  tha;  they  fpake  with 
tongues,   and  pioplufied*. 

A1.  Ephefus,  Paul,  as  he  had  done  at  other 
places,  began  with  reforting  to  the  Jewifh  fyna- 
go^ue,  and  preaching  there,  which  he  now  did 
ior  about  three  months  ;  but  this  being  attended 
with  much  wrangling,  he  quitted  that  place,  and 
taught  in  the  fchool  of  one  Tyrannus,  probably 
a  heathen  philofopher,  and  perhaps  converted  by 
him.  Here  Paul  continued  two  years  ;  and  preach- 
ing in  the  neighbouring  cities  as  well  as  at  Ephe- 
fus, all  the  country  of  Alia  properly  fo  called  had 
an  opportunity  of  being  well  acquainted  with  the 
principles  of  the  chriftian  religion.  Itpleafedthe 
divine  Being  alfo  on  this  cccafion,  to  add  the  fanc- 
tion  ol  miracles  in  a  very  diftinguifhtng  manner 
to  the  preaching  of  Paul ;  fo  that  even  when  the 
handkerchiefs  and  aprons  of  fick  perfons  were 
brought  to  him,  their  difeafes  were  cured,  and 
fome  of  the  perfons  relieved  by  him  where  demo- 
niacs. 
Voi.  I.  N  Somt 

A&s  xix.  6. 


6*8         THE  HISTORY  OF  THE      Per.  I. 

Some  Jewifh  exorcifts,  feven  fons  of  one  See- 
va  a  Jew,  and  chief  of  the  priefts,  perceiving  this, 
and  thinking  there  mufl  befome  povveiful  charm  in 
the  mvocation  of  the  name  of  Jefus,  repeated  it  over 
a  demoniac,  faying,  "  We  adjure  thee  by  Jefus 
"  whom  Paul  preaches/'  But  the  madman,  not 
bein^  reflored  to  his  right  mind,  though  difbn- 
gui  thing  what  they  faid,  infulted  them,  and  fell 
violently  upon  them,  faying,  "  Jefus  I  know,  and 
"  Paul  I  know,  but  who  are  ye,"  and  they  did 
not  efcape  without  wounds.  This  event  made 
muchnoife  in  the  town  and  country,  and  the  fuc- 
cefs  of  Paul  and  of  thefe  exorcifts  being  fo  ma  i» 
feflly  different,  it  brought  a  great  acceffion  of  re- 
putation to  Paul,  and  was  the  means  of  gaining 
him  many  converts.  At  the  fame  time  the  inet- 
ficacy  and  folly  of  all  magical  rites  was  fo  appa- 
rent, that  great  numbers  brought  their  books  con- 
taining fuch  fecrets,  and  burned  them  publicly; 
and  though  they  might  have  been  fold  for  fifty 
thoufand  pieces  of  hlver  (equal  probably  to  eight 
hundred  pounds)  they  chofe  to  make  this  faenfice, 
rather  than  contribute  to  the  fpread  of  fuch  wick- 
ed and  mifchievous  arts  by  the  f a  e  of  them*. 

At  Ephefus  Paul  was  apphed  to  by  meflcn- 
gers  from    Corinth,  where,  as  well  as  in    Gaktia, 

attempts 

*Aas  six.  19. 


Sec.  VI.        CHRISTIAN  CHURCH.        99 

attempts  had  been  made  to  leiTcn  his  authority; 
and  where  fome  perfons  diflinguifhed  by  their 
eloquence,  and  bonfting  of  their  knowledge,  had 
taught  that  the  chriftian  refurreflion  was  not  a 
literal  rifing  from  the  dead,  but  fornething  elfc  ; 
either  a  change  of  life  and  conduct,  or  the  eman- 
cipation of  the  foul  from  its  confinement  in  the 
body.  Thefe  perfons,  therefore,  evidently  held 
the  Gnoftic  opinions,  and  this  is  the  firft  time  wc 
meet  with  the  mention  of  them  among  chriftians. 
For  the  philofophers  of  that  age,  believing  in  the 
inherent  evil  nature  of  matter,  and  that  the  foul 
was  only  confined  in  the  body  for  a  time,  thought 
it  would  be  moll:  confummately  happy  when  it 
was  difcharged  from  its  flefhly  incumbrance, 

On  this  account  Paul,  in  his  epiftle  to  the 
Corinthians,  aflerts  at  large  the  reality  of  a  pioper 
rcfurreclion,  in  imitation  of  that  of  Jefus,  on  which 
the  whole  of  the  chrillian  fcheme  depended  j  a  (Tu- 
ring them  that  that  which  was  committed  to  the 
grave  would  .rife  again,  but  changed  in  its  nature  and 
properties,  from  mortal  to  immortal,  from  corrupt- 
ible to  incorruptible,  from  earthly  to  heavenly. 
Heaifo  anfwered  a  variety  of  queftions  which  they 
had  propofed  to  him  relating  to  the  Lord's  flipper, 
fptritual  gifts,  marriage  (which  their  Gnoflic 
teachers  had  confidered  as  a  defilement)  abftaining 
from  feafts  in  honour   of    idols,  which    fbme    oi 

them 


too      THE  HISTORY  OFT  HE      Per.  I. 

them  thought  to  be  very  innocent,  and  from  for- 
nication, which  the  religion  of  the  heathens  coun- 
tenanced on  thofe  occafions,  and  to  which  the  in- 
habitants of  the  luxurious  city  of  Corinth  were  re- 
markably addicted. 

Paurs  addrefs  to  them  on  thefe  and  other  fub- 
jecls,  fhews  that  many  of  thefe  firft  converts, 
though  they  were  convinced  of  the  truth  of  Chris- 
tianity, were  not  immediately  reformed  by  it,  but 
continued  addicted  to  the  fenfual  gratifications  in 
which  they  had  indulged  themfelves  before,  and 
that  it  was  not  without  difficulty  that  they  were 
brought  off  from  them.  And  we  may  eafily  be- 
lieve that  many  perfons  of  good  fenfe,  and  com- 
petent judges  of  evidence,  but  whofe  lives  and  mo- 
ral characters  were  far  from  being  irreproachable 
might  be  convinced  of  the  truth  of  chriflianity, 
but  that  it  would  be  fome  time  before  it  effected 
a  reformation  of  their  conduct* 

In  this  epiftle  Paul  alfo  afferts  hir  own  apof- 
lolical  authority,  and  endeavours  to  make  the  Co- 
rinthian converts  think  lefs  highly  of  the  boafled 
eloquence  of  their  new  teachers,  who  feem,  like 
the  philcfophers  and  rhetoricians  of  thofe  times 
to  have  received  money  for  their  harangues.  He 
therefore  fhews  the  difference  between  his  own 
conduct  and  theirs  in  that  refpect. 

From  Ephefu.%   Paui  fent  Timothy  and  Eras- 

tus 


Sec.  VI.       CHRISTIAN  CHURCH.       101 

tus  before  him  into  Macedonia,  as  he  intended  to 

go  that  way  into  Achaia    which  he    had  done  be- 

His  farther  view  was  to  return  to  ]'  rufal 
an  !  in  anothei  journey  to  go  as  far  *.    But 

while  he  continued  at  Eohefus,  in  the  abfence  of 
Timothy  and  Erafius,  there  was  a  great  tumult 
in  »ue  cry,  occafioned  by  one  Demetrius,  and 
Others  who  made  what  arc;  called  Jilvcr  fhrines 
1  '•  Diana,  a  goddefs  who  was  worfhiped  in  a  n 
ruficent  temple,  and  with  great  pomp,  at  Ephc- 
fus.  Fhele  people,  feeing  the  great  progrefs  that 
Paul  and  his  companions  made  in  converting  the 
people  to  chiiftianity,  and  confequently  bringing 
them  offtrom  the  worlhip  of  Diana,  clearly  forcfaw, 
if  they  did  not  already  ieel,  a  great  diminution  cf 
their  profits. 

In  this  tumult  two  of  Paul's  friends,  Gaius  and 
Ariftarchus,  who  were  of  Macedonia,  weie  feized, 
and  carried    into   the  public  theatre;  and  on  this 
Alexander,  a  Jew  (being  probably  a  good  fpiak 
and  a    man   of  iome    influence  in  the  place)  was 
brought  by  his  brethren  into  the  theatre,  to  en  I 
vour  to  appeafe    the   multitude;    but  . 
of  the  tumult  prevented  him  by  ir 
ing,    as  they  had  u::;e  fomc  time  befo: 
Diana    of  the    EpJ.c/ians.       \\  ,    the    cl 

magiUrate  in  the  place  infill 

reproved  the  people  for  the  had 

be:a 


102       THE  HISTORY  OF  THE        Per.  I. 

been  made,  which  he  faid  was  altogether  unjufti- 
fiubJe,  as  they  had  no  crime  to  lay  to  the  charge 
ot  Paul  or  his  friends;  adding,  that  if  they  had 
any  juft  accufation  againft  them  they  mould  be 
heard  in  a  regular  afTembly.  By  this  means  an  end 
was  put  to  the  tumult,  and  prefently  after  Paul  left 
Ephefus,  and  went,  as  he  had  propofed,  to  Mace- 
donia,  leaving  Timothy,  who  had  arrived  before 
he  fet  out*. 

From  Macedonia,  Paul  wrote  his  firfl  epiftle 
to  Timothy,  to  whom  he  had  intruded  the  care  of 
the  church  cf  Ephefus  ;  and  from  this  epiftle  it  ap- 
pears that  this  church  was  then  infected  with  the 
Gncftic  doctrines,  by  perfons  pretending  to  fci- 
ence  and  philofophy,  who  difpifed  the  plain 
preaching  of  Paul.  He  therefore  urges  Timothy 
flrenuoufly  to  oppofe  the  progrefs  of  thofe  opini- 
ons, and  he  gives  him  many  excellent  advices  re- 
lating to  the  conduct  oi  himfelf,  and  of  the  church 
which  was  committed  to  his  care. 

It  is  alfo  fuppofed  that  Paul  wrote  at  this 
time  his  epiftle  to  Titus ;  and  as  it  is  very  fimilar  to 
the  epiftle  to  Timothy,  it  is  evident  that  the 
churches  in  Crete  muft  have  been  in  the  fame  ftate 
with  that  at  Ephefus,  gnofticifrn  having  been  in- 
troduced there,  as  well  as  into  other  churches.   For 

thai 

Y.    1. 


SecVI.       CHRISTIAN  CHURCH.       tc3 

that  being  the  philofophy  of  the  times,  the  c  - 
verts  who  had  made  profeffion  of  it,  would  natu- 
rally be  inclined  to  mix  their  peculiar  tenets  with 
the  chridian  doftrines.  When  Paul  wrote  to 
Titus,  he  piopofed  to  pafs  the  winter  in  Nicopo- 
lis,  and  urged  him  to  come  to  him  thither*. 

From  Macedonia  it  is  probable  that  Paul,  at 
this  time,  paired  into  Ulyricum,  and  that  before 
he  lefr  this  country,  or  Macedonia,  he  wrote  his 
lecond  epiflle  to  the  Corinthians.  He  had  been 
very  anxious  about  the  reception  of  his  former  epif- 
tlet  which  had  been  fent  by  Titus,  who  was  to 
have  met  him  at  Troas,  after  he  had  left  Ephefus, 
but  who  did  not  join  him  till  he  arrived  in  Mace* 
donia.  Here  Titus  gave  Paul  fuch  an  account 
of  the  fituation  of  things  at  Corinth,  and  of  the 
efTecl;  of  his  former  epiflle.  as  gave  him  great  encou- 
ragement, though  he  faw  fufficient  reafon  to  write 
a  fecond  epiflle  before  he  went  to  that  city  in 
perfon.  This  alfo  was  fent  by  Titus,  who  re- 
turned to  Corinth,  in  order  to  promote  a  collec- 
tion for  the  poor  chriflians  at  [erufalem.  In  this 
fecond  epiflle  Paul  explains  bimfelf  farther  with 
refpett  to  iome  lubjecls  of  which  he  had  treated  in 
the    former.      He    alfo    enforces  his  admonitions 

againft 

•I  am  by  no  means  fatisfied  about  the  time  in  which 
Paul  wrote  his  epillle  to  I  itus. 


104       THE  HISTORY  OF  THE       Per.  I 

againfl  the  Gnoftic  teachers,  by  whom  that  church 
had  been  milled. 

Paul,  having  preached  with  much  affiduity, 
at  length  departed  from  thefe  northern  regions,  and 
arrived  in  Greece  properly  To  called,  a.  d-  58; 
his  chief  object  being  Corinth.  Here  he  flayed 
three  months,  and  finding  himfelf  at  leifure,  wrote 
a  large  epiible  to  the  chriftians  at  Rome.  It  does 
not  appear  who  had  preached  chriflianity  in  this 
city  ;  but  as  there  was  a  perpetual  concourfe  of 
people  of  all  defcriptions,  from  all  parts  of  the  em- 
pire to  the  metropolis,  nothing  could  be  tranfa&ed 
in  the  mod  diflant  province  that  would  not  foon 
be  known  there;  and  chriftians  as  well  as  others, 
having  bufmefs  in  Rome,  their  zeal  would  natu- 
rally prompt  them  to  communicate  to  others 
what  they  were  acquainted  with,  and  valued, 
themfelves;  Alfo,  many  perfons,  being  converted 
to  chriflianity  at  Rome,  would  make  more  converts 
on  their  return  to  thofe  provinces  to  which  they 
belonged.  Thus  the  vafl  extent  of  the  Roman 
empire,  which  comprehended  almofl  all  the  civi- 
lized part  of  the  world,  was  a  circumflance  exceed- 
ingly favourable  to  the  fpeedy  propagation  of  the 
gofpel.  It  is  alfo  a  circumttance  peculiarly  fa- 
vourable to  the  evidence  of  chriflianity,  that  it  took 
the  deepeft  root  in  the  molt  civilized  and  learned, 

and 


Sec.  VI.       CHRISTIAN  CHURCH.        105 

and  confequently  the   mod  inquifitivc,  part  of  the 
world. 

It  appears  from  this  epiflle  that  they  were 
Jews  who  were  mod  active  in  preaching  the 
gofpel  at  Rome,  and  that  there,  as  well  as  in  other 
places,  they  had  inculcated  their  peculiar  prejudi- 
ces in  conjunction  with  it.  For  they  had  endea- 
voured to  impofe  the  yoke  of  the  Mofaic  inftitu- 
tions  upon  the  Gentile  chriftians  there ;  and  it 
was  chiefly  with  a  view  to  correct  this  error,  that 
Paul,  who  juftly  confidered  himfelf  as  the  apoflle 
of  the  Gentiles,  and  confequently  the  aflerter  of 
their  rights,  wrote  this  epiftle.  For  this  is  the 
great  object  of  it.  At  the  fame  time,  however,  he 
endeavours  to  give  thofe  to  whom  he  writes  a  very 
high,  but  a  ftrictly  jufl  idea  of  the  value  of  chrifli- 
anity,  as  oppofed  to  the  heathenifh  rites  in  which 
they  had  been  educated,  and  in  which  the  mod  un- 
natural vices  had  been  practiced.  In  oppoimon 
to  every  thing  of  this  kind,  he  flrongly  inculcates 
the  excellent  moral  precepts  of  chriftianity. 

At  Corinth,  as  well  in  other  places,  the  unbe- 
lieving Jews  did  Paul  every  ill  office  in  their  pow- 
er. At  this  time,  they  even  laid  wait  for  him, 
probably  intending  to  murder  him;  but  he  efca- 
ped  from  them  by  going  firft  to  Macedonia  ; 
whereas  they  had  imagined  he  would  go  directly  to 
Syria,  and  had,  no  doubt,  laid  their  plan  accord- 
Vcl.  I.  O  ingty* 


io6       THE  HISTORY  OF  THE       Per.  I 

ingly,  In  Macedonia,  Paul  was  joined  by  Sopa. 
ter  of  Berea,  Ariflarchus  and  Secundus  of  Thef- 
falonica,  Gaius  of  Derbe,  and  Timothy.  There 
were  alfo  with  him  from  Alia,  Tychicus  and 
Trophimus.  All  thefe  perfons  going  before,  wait- 
ed for  him  (who  was  accompanied  by  Luke)  at 
Troas,  where  he  arrived,  after  fpending  the  paflb- 
ver  at  Phiiippi*. 

At  Troas    Psul    and  his  company  fpent  feven 
davs,  of  which  the  laft  was   the  Lord's  day  :   and 
as  he  was  to  depart  on  the  morrow,  he  was  led    o 
proong  his  difcourfe  to  the  afTembled  church   till 
midnight;  in  confequence  of  wfrcb,  a  young  man 
of  the  name  of  Eutychus,  who  had  feated  himfelf 
in  a  higher  part  of  the  building,  being  overcome 
with  deep,  fell  down,  and   was  taken  up  for  dead ; 
but  Paul   praying   over  him,  he  was  presently  re- 
fiored  to   life.      After  this  interruption,  Paul  con- 
tinued with  the  difcipes  till  day  break ;  and  having 
received    the  communion  with  them,    he  depart- 
ed. 

From  Troas  Paul  went  by  land  to  A  fibs* 
where  his  friends,  who  had  gone  thither  by  fea, 
took  him  in,  and  proceeded  to  Mytelene.  W^ff 
they  were  come  to  Miletus,  Paul,  who  was  deter- 
termined  not  to  make  any  flay  in  Afia,  left  he 
fhould  be  prevented  from  arriving  at  Jerufalem  at 

the 
#A&s  xx.   0. 


rS£c.  VI.       CHRISTIAN  CHURCH        107 

the  time  that  he  had  fixer],  font  for  the  elders  of 
the  church  of  Ephefus,  and  addrehvd  them  in  a 
moft  affectionate  and  excellent  fpecch  ;  in  which 
he  recited  the  particulars  of  his  own  conduct  a- 
mong  them,  and  exhorted  them  to  imitate  him  in 
their  care  of  the  church.  After  concluding  with 
prayer,  they  parted  from  each  other  with  many- 
tears,  efpecially  as  Paul  had  told  them,  that  they 
muli  not  ex  peel  to  fee  him  any  more*. 

Paul  and  his  company  then  proceeded  on  their 
voyage,  and  at  length  arrived  at  Tyre,  whkher  the 
fhip  they  were  in  was  bound.    There  they   found 
cl  riftians  with  whom  they  flayed  feven  days  ;  and 
here  fome  who  had  the  fpirit  of  prophecy   warned 
Paul  not  to  go  to  Jerufalem.  But  without  attend- 
ing to  the  admonition,  he  took  leave  of  them  as  he 
had  done  of  the  elders  of  Ephefus  ;  and  with  ev 
mark  of  affection,  and   with  a  great  crowd  of  wo- 
men and    children,    they   accompanied  him  to  the 
fhip.      They  next  proceeded  to  Ptolemais,    w! 
they  flayed  one  day,    and    the  day  after  they  arri- 
ved at  Caefarea,  where  they  were  received  by  Philip 
the    evanprelift,    the  fame  who    had  converted  the 
eunuch   of  Ethiopia,  and  who  had  lour  (daughters 
who  were  propheteffes. 

Here  Paul   and    h;s    friends    continued    C 
time;  having  it   now  in    their  power,  without  the 

ainty 
*  A6ls  xx.  38, 


io8       THE  HISTORY  OF  THE      Per.  I. 

uncertainty  attending  a  paflage  by  fea,  to  proceed 
to  Jerufalem  whenever  they  pleafed  ;  and  while 
they  continued  here  there  came   from   Jerufalem 
the  fame  Agabus,  who  had  foretold  the  famine  in 
the  time  of   Claudius.    Pie,  in   imitation    of  the 
ancient  prophets,  who  often  expreffed  themfelves 
y    fymbols,  caufed    himfelf  to   be    bound   hand 
and  foot  with  Paul's  girdle,  and  faid    that,  in   the 
fame  manner,  would  the  Jews  of  Jerufalem    bind 
the  owner  of  that  girdle,  and  deliver  him  into  the 
the  hands  of  the  Gentiles.     On  this  all  the  compa- 
ny earneflly  entreated  Paul  that  he  would  not  pro- 
ceed to  Jerufalem;  but  he,  with  a  noble    magna- 
nimity, replied  that  he  was  ready  not  only  to    be 
bound,  but  alfo  to  fuffer  death,  at  Jerufalem  in  the 
caufe  of  Chriit ;     After  this  they  ufed  no  further 
intreaties,  but  with  the  fame  reGgnation,    faid  The 
will  of  God  be  done.      Then  being  joined  by  Mna- 
fon,  an  old  difciple  of  Cyprus,  and  other  chriftians 
of    Cssfarea,   they   went  together   to    Jerufalem  ; 
where  their  fellow  chriftians    received   them    with 
joy.*  This  was  at  pentecoft,  A.  D.  58,  eight  years 
before  the    commencement  of   the  famous  Jewifb 
war. 

*  A6ls  xxi,  1" 


•S  E  C- 


Sec.  VII.     CHRISTIAN  CHURCH.       I0» 


SECTION     VII. 

From  Paul's  confinement  at  Jerafalem  to  his  arrival 
at  Rome,  A.  D.  61,  and  his  employment  there. 

J.  HE  day  after  Paul's  arrival  at  Jerufa- 
lem  he  went  to  James,  and  the  eldeis  of  the 
church;  and  when  he  had  given  them  an  account 
of  his  fuccefs  in  extending  the  knowledge  of  the  gof- 
pel,  they  rejoiced  at  it ;  but  informed  him,  that 
there  were  many  thoufands  of  the  Jewifh  chriflians 
at  Terufa/em,  exceedingly  zealous  for  the  obferv- 
ance  of  the  law,  who  had  heard  that  he  had  taught 
even  the  Jews  in  Gentile  countries  to  abandon 
the  inflitutions  of  Mofes,  and  difcontinue  the  cir- 
cumcifingcf  their  children.  In  order  to  refute 
this  calumny,  they  advifed  him  to  (hew  his  confor- 
mity to  the  law  by  the  public  obfervance  of  fomeof 
its  rites.  Accordingly  he  accompanied,  four  men 
who  had  a  vow  on  them,  and  purified  himfelf  a- 
long  with  the  in,  by  facrifkes  and  other  ceremonies. 
This  would  have  taken  up  feven  days,  but  before 
they  were  expired,  fome  Jews   from    Ada,   feeing 

him 


on       THE  HISTORY  OF  THE      Per.  I. 

him  in  the  temple,  caufed  him  to  be  apprehended 
in  a  tumultuous  manner,  alleging  that  wherever  he 
had  been  he  had  taught  things  contrary  to  the  peo- 
j  e  of  the  Jews,  the  law,  and  the  temple,  and  like- 
ly re  that  he  had  brought  Greeks  into  the  temple, 
and  had  thereby  polluted  that  holy  place.*  For 
they  had  feen  him  in  the  city  accompanied  by  Tro- 
phimus  an  Ephefian,  and  took  it  for  granted  that 
he  had  taken  him  into  the  temple. 

In  this  tumult,  in  which  a  great  part  of  the 
city  was  involved,  Paul  would  have  been  deftroy- 
ed,  if  Lyfias,  the  Roman  governor  of  the  city,  had 
not  refcued  him.  He  thought  it  neceflary,  how- 
ever, to  fecure  him  by  binding  him,  and  ordering 
him  to  be  lodged  in  a  caftle  adjoining  the  temple* 
But  the  tumult  Mill  continuing  as  they  were  carry- 
ing him  away,  Paul  afked  leave  to  fpeak  to  the 
people.  On  this  the  governor,  probably  hearing 
ing  him  fpeak  in  Greek,  expreiled  fome  furprize  at 
it,  having  fuppofed  that  he  might  have  been  an 
Egyptian,  who  fome  time  before  had  made  a  rebel- 
lion in  the  country  ;  but  Paul  told  him  that  he 
was  a  Jew,  and  a  citizen  ol  Tarfos. 

Having  leave  to  fpeak,  Paul  addrefTed  the 
multitude  in  Hebrew,  and  in  a  fpsech  of  confider- 
able  length,  gave  them  an  account  of  his  hiftory 
and  converdcn  to  chriflianity.     But  when  he  came 

to 
*A6tsxxi,2S. 


Sec.  VII.     CHRISTIAN  CHURCH. 


i  r  l 


to  fpeakof  his  being  fent  to  the  Gentiles,  his  au- 
dience were  not  able  to  rcflrain  themfelves  any  lon- 
ger, but  exclaimed  a^ainft  him  as  a  perfon  not  fit 
to  live.*  On  this  the  governor  commanded  him 
to  be  brought  into  the  cattle,  and  was  proceeding  to 
examine  him  by  torture,  and  had  him  bound  for 
that  purpofe,  when  Paul  informed  them  that,  be- 
ing a  Roman  citizen,  they  could  not  legally 
fcourge  him.  This  intimidated  the  governor,  who 
therefore  contented  him  fell  wTith  bringing  Paul, 
unbound,  the  next  day  before  the  Jewifh  fanhe- 
drim. 

Twenty -three  years  had  now  elapsed  fince  Paul 
had  been  in  the  confidence  of  the  chief  rulers  of  his 
country,  and  employed  by  them  in  the  perfecution 
of  the  chriftians,  io  that  at  this  time  many  of  thvm 
mufl  have  been  unknown  to  him,  and  among  thefe 
perhaps  was  the  high-pried  Ananias.  For  wnen 
upon  his  declaring  his  innocence,  this  fupreme 
magiftrate  irregularly  and  unjuftly  ordered  a  per- 
fon to  ftrike  him  ;  being  provoked,  but  not  intimi- 
dated, he  replied  "  God  fhall  finite  thee  thou 
u  whited  wall,  for  fitting  to  judge  me  according 
w  to  the  law,  and  commanding  me  to  be  (mitten 
"  contrary  to  the  law  ;"  and  being  reproved  for  it, 
as  reviling  God's  high  prieft,  he  laid  that  he  did 
not  know  that  he  was  the  high-priefl. 

This 
Acls  xxii.  22. 


it*      THE  HISTORY  OF  THE       Per.1. 

This  intrepid  behaviour  of  Paul  might  perhaps 
difpofe  his  judges  to  refpeft  him  more  than    they 
had  done.     The  court,  however,  appears  to  have 
been  more  compofed  after  this  irregular    proceed- 
ing ;  and  Paul,  having  the  prefence  of  mind   to 
view  his  judges  with  attention,  and    recollecting 
many  of  them,  perceived  that  fome  of   them  were 
Sadducees  and  otheis  Pharifees ;  and  hoping  tori'. 
vide  them,  and  to  avail  himfelf  of  their  difference 
of  opinion,  he  cried  out  that  he  was  a  Pharifee,  and 
the  fon  of  Pharifee  ;  and  that  it  was    for  holding 
the  doclrine  of  the  Pharifees,  viz.  the  refurre&ion 
of  the  dead,  that    he   \vz$   brought   before  them. 
This  produced    the    effect  that   he  wifhed.     For 
the  Pharifees  took  his  part,  faying,  it  was  pofnble 
that  an  angel,  or  a  fpirit  (the   exiflence  of  which 
the  Sadducees  denied)  might  have  ipoken  to  him  5 
and,  perhaps  recollecting  the  advice  of  Gamaliel 
on  a  firmjar  occafion,  they  faid  they  ought  not    to 
light  againft  God.     The  governor  feeing  this  divi- 
jGon,  and  the  tumult  which  it  produced  ;  and  tear- 
ing left  his  phfoner  fhould  be  torn  in  pieces  among 
them,  fent  foldiers,    and  took  him  by    force    into 
the  cafile.     The  night   following   this,  Jefus  ap- 
peared to  Paul,  and  encouraged  him  ;  telling  him 
that  as  he  had  borne  his  teftimony  to  him   in  Jeru- 

falem.  he  fhould  do  the  fame  in  Rome.* 

The 

*Aasxxiii.  nt 


Sec   VII.      CHRISTIAN  CHURCH.      113 

The  next  day  the  unbelieving  Jews  being  ex- 
ceedingly exafperated  a^ainit  Paul,  more  than  for- 
ty of  them  bound  thcmfclvcs  with  an  oath  not  to 
eat  or  drink  till  they  had  killed  him.  This,  how- 
ever, came  to  the  knowledge  of  a  fon  of  Paul's  fj  ft- 
er,  and  he,  by  application  to  the  governor  prevent- 
ed the  execution  of  their  defign.  For  Lyhas  im- 
mediately fent  him  under  a  fti  1  j  guard  to  CcEfa- 
rea,  thercfidence  of  the  Roman  prefect  Felix,  wi'h 
a  letter,  informing  him  of  the  reafans  why  he  had 
fent  him  ;  and  that  he  did  not  perceive  that  he  was 
charged  with  any  offence  of  a  civil  nature,  but 
that  he  had  acquainted  his  accufers  that  they  might 
carry  their  complains  to  his  tribunal.  According- 
ly Felix  ordered  him  to  beconfincd,  till  his  accu- 
fers mould  appear  againft  him.* 

Five  days  after  this,  Ananias  the  high-pried 
himtelf,  with  other  leading  men  of  the  Jews,  came 
to  Caefarea,  and  employed  an  orator  of  the  name  of 
Tcrtullus  to  open  (he  charge  againft  Paul.  It 
confifted  of  three  articles,  viz.  that  he  was  a  mover 
of  feditxoa  through  all  the  world,  that  he  had  pro- 
phaned  the  temple,  and  that  he  was  a  ringleader 
of  the  feet  of  the  Nazarenes.  To  this  Paul  repli- 
ed, that  with  refpea  to  the  two  fir  ft  articles,  they 
could  not  prove  what  they  had  alleged  ;  that  he 
had  raifed  no  tumult,  that  they  had  not  even  found 

V°L-J-  P.  him 

•Acls  xxiii.  35, 


U4         THEHISTORYOFTHE       Per. I. 

him  difputing  with   any  perfon.   and  that   in  the 
temple  he  was  performing  the  ufual  rites  of  purifi- 
cation together  with  other  Jews  from  Afia  ;  but  he 
acknowledged  that  according  to  the  feci  which  his 
enemies  cal'ed  herefy,   he  did  worfhip    the  God  of 
his  fathers,  believing  efpecially   the  ^efurreclion  of 
the  dead,  in  the  faith  of  which  he   endeavoured  (o 
a6l  with  good  conference  towards    God  and    man.. 
Felix,   perceiving  the  malice  of  Paul's  profecutors, 
and  the  inlufficiency  of  their  proofs    with    refpeel 
to  the  article   of  fedition,  which  was  all  that  he  was 
concerned  to  inquire  into,  di (miffed  them   till  the 
arrival  of  Lyfias,  when  he  faid  he  fhou!d   h<ive  an 
opportunity  of  forming  a  better  judgment    in  the 
cafe.      In  the  mean  time  he  committed  Paul  to  the 
cuftody  of  a  centurion,  but  with  orders  thatali  his 
friends  mould  have  free  accefs  to  him.* 

After  fome  time  Felix,  accompanied  by  his 
wife  Drufilla  (who  was  filler  to  king  Agrippa,  and 
a  woman  of  loofe  character)  indulged  his  curiofity 
in  inquiring  of  Paul  concerning  the  chriflian  reli- 
gion. But  in  explaining  the  principles  of  it  Paul 
fpake  with  fo  much  force  concerning  the  duties  of 
temperance  and  juflice,  which  had  been  fhamefulty 
violated  by  his  hearers,  and  alfo  concerning  a  fu- 
ture judgment,  that  Felix  was  fenfibly   moved  by 

his 
*Acis  xxiv.    23, 


Sec.  VII.      CHRISTIAN   CHURCH      u5 

his  difcourfe,  and  difmifling  him  for  the  prefent, 
faid  that  he  would  fend  for  him  again  when  he 
fli  mid  have  more  leifure  to  hear  him 

Felix,  being  an  avaricious  man,  was  not  with- 
out hope  that  Paul's  friends,  who  he  might  per- 
ceive were  very  conhderable,  would  have  advanced 
money  for  his  rcleafc  ;  and  with  this  view  he  often 
fent  tor  him;  but  being  difappointcd  in  this  ex- 
pectation, and  fearing  the  rcfentment  of  the  Jews, 
to  \.  horn  he  had  made  himfelf  very  obnoxious, 
when  he  was  fucceeded  in  his  government  by 
Feftus,  he  left  Paul  a  prifoner.*  Felix  was  a  man 
of  low  extraction,  who  had  been  advanced  by  the 
intereft  othis  brother  Pallas,  a  freed  man  and  fa- 
vourite ot  the  emperor  Claudius;  and  when  he 
was  a  ecu  fed  by  the  Jews  before  Nero,  who  was 
r<  >w  emperor,  he  was  condemned,  but  efcaped 
puni(hment  by  the  intereft  of  Agrippina  Nero's 
m    her. 

Feftus  on  his  arrival  in  Judea,  went  dire£Hy  to 
Jerufalem  where  he  found  the  high  pried  and  the 
leading  men  ftill  violent  againft  Paul,  but  he  re- 
ferred them  to  a  public  hearing  at  Caefarea.  Ac- 
cordingly they  went  thither  once  more,  and  were 
as  beioie,  loud  in  their  accufation  of  Pau?,  bat  in- 
capable of  proving  any  thing  on  which  a  fentencc 
could  bepaded  upon  him.     The   govern   :.  how- 

evev 

i-Vs  xxiv. 


■1x6      THE  HISTORY  OF  THE      Per,  I 

ever,  willing  to  oblige  the  leading  Jews  on  his  ar- 
rival in  his  province,  propofed  to  remove  the  pri- 
foner  to  Jerufalem,  and  try  him  there.  But  Paul, 
tired  with  thefe  delays,  availed  himfelf  ot  his  pri- 
vilege of  a  Roman  citizen,  and  appealed  to  the 
judgment  of  the  emperor;  and  to  this  Feftus  con- 

fented*. 

Soon  after  this  Feftus  was  vifited  by  king  A- 
grippa  the  younger,  who  had  fucceeded  his  father, 
and  by  his  filler  Berenicef .  To  thefe  guefts  the 
governor  related  the  cafe  of  his  prifoner,  which  fo 
much  excited  the  curiofity  of  Agnppa,  that  he  ex- 
preffed  a  with  to  hear  Paul  himfelf.  To  this  Fef- 
tus confented  the  more  willingly,  as,  being  obliged 
to  fend  him  to  Rome,  and  of  courfe  to  give  feme 
account  of  him,  he  hoped  that  by  means  of  this 
audience  he  mould  be  able  to  draw  up  a  more  fa- 
tisfaSory  account  than  at  prefent  he  knew  how  to 
do. 

Paul,  being  produced  for  this  purpofe,  exprefs- 
ed  much  fatisf action  in  having  an  opportunity  of 
explaining  his  principles   before  a   jewifh  prince, 

who 

*A&sxxv.   12. 

|This  Berenice  hadbeen  married  to  her  uncle  He- 
rod of  Chalcis,  and  was  at  that  time  fufpe&ed  of  having 
a  criminal  connexion  with  her  brother.  She  was  af- 
terwards the  great  favourite  of  the  emperor  Titus,  be- 
ing a  woman,  of  exnuifite  beauty. 


Sec.  VII.     CHRISTIAN  CHURCH.        ttf 

who  Wc«s  acquainted  w'th  thofc  prophecies  totohri  \ 
he  {lijuid  have  occafun  to  appeal,  Th 

r.nt  of  himfelf,  I  I  especially 
of  hir  rni&ciilbufe  converfion  •  chriftianity, 
FeH  16  (/!'  a  heathen,  *■.        not  dSfpofe'd 

grve  much  attenW    i  to  at       nts    I    nfiiracles 
v/:  o  pfbbal:  j  i  ained   that    coril     n 

religion  ol  the  Jews  which  w, 
petf6ns  o{  rank,  who  had  blade 
cei  ningit)  (aid  that  he  was  certainly  out  oi  h^  fe 
fes  and  that  much  ftudy  had  disordered  his  mind  ; 
fo  that  what  he  had  related  might  all  have  paCTed 
in  Ins  imagination  only.  But  Agrippa,  who  was 
a  heliever  in  miracles,  could  not  fo  readily  deny 
this,  and,  no  doubt,  confidering  the  circumftances 
of  it,  acknowledged  that  he  was  almoft  perfnaded 
to  be  achriftian.  To  this  Paul  with  great  pre- 
fence  of  mind,  and  much  politenefs,  replied,  "  I 
"  would  to  God  that  not  only  thou,  but  alfo  all 
"  that  hear  me  this  day,  were  both  almoft,  and  al- 
"  together,  fuch  as  I  am,  except  thefe  bonds." 
With  this  the  conference  elbfed  ;  and  it  was  a- 
greed  bv  them  all,  tliat  he  might  have  been  fet  at 
liberty  it  he  had  not  appealed  to  the  emperor.* 

Paul,  according  to  his  fentence,   was    fent    to 
Rome,  under  the  cullody  of  a  centurion  named  Ju- 
lius, 
*A£ls  xxvi.    32. 


JX8      THE  HISTORY  OF  THE      Per.  I. 

]ius,  who  behaved  to  him  with  great  civility;  giv- 
ing him  leave,  when  they  came  to  Sidon,  to  land 
and  fee  his  friends.  When  they  had  proceeded  as 
far  as  Crete,  it  was  revealed  to  Paul,  that  if  they 
went  any  further,  at  that  late  fealon  of  the  year,  it 
would  be  with  great  nfque^not  only  of  the  (hip, 
and  of  the  lading,  but  alfo  of  their  lives.  However 
the  centurion  chofe  to  liften  to  the  mailer  and 
owner  of  the  fhip,  and  put  to  lea.  But  they  were 
foon  overtaken  by  a  temped,  during  which  Paul 
told  the  crew,  that  the  fhip  would  be  loft,  but  all 
their  lives  fsved  ;  and  accordingly  they  with  diffi* 
culty  got  to  more  on  the  ifland  of  Malta,  the  fhip 
ng  (handed  and  daflied  to  pieces*. 

On  this  ifland  the  fhipwrecked  crew  were  re- 
c  ived  with  hofpitahty  ;  a;  d  here  it  pleafed  God 
to  d  ftingu  fh  Paul  by  fome  remarkable  miracles. 
As  he  had  got  a  handle  of  flicks,  and  was  laying 
them  on  the  fire,  a  viper,  which  had  not  been  per- 
ceived among  them,  feeling  the  heat,  fattened  on 
his  hand ;  which  led  the  natives  to  imagine  that  he 
was  a  murderer,  who  though  he  had  not  penflied  ill 
the  fhipwreck,  was  now  overtaken  by  divine  ven- 
oeance.  But  when  he  fheck  it  off  without  receiv- 
ing  any  harm,  they  concluded  that  he  mud  be  a 
god.     What  farther  impreflSon  was  made  on  their 

minds 
*Afbs  xxvii.  44, 


Sec.  VII.     CHRISTIAN  CHURCH.       119 

minds  by  this  extraordinary  circum (lance  docs  not 
appear;  but  it  is  probable  that  it  drew  much  at- 
tention upon  him.  For  the  father  of  Publiu.%  the 
governor  of  the  ifland,  being  ill  of  a  fever  and  a 
bloody  flux,  Paul  (having  probably  been  Pint  for 
on  the  occafion)  prayed  over  him,  and  cured  him  ; 
and  upon  this  other  lick  pcrfons  were  brought  to 
him  and  were  cured. 

Having  wintered  in  Malta,  Paul  and  his  com- 
pany proceeded  early  in  the  fpring  (a.  d  61)  to- 
wards Rome,  calling  at  Syracufc,  Rhegiutn  and 
Puteoli.  at  which  lad  place  Paul  found  fomeenrif- 
tian  brethren  ;  and  at  Appii  forum  and  the  Three 
Taverns,  he  was  met  by  fome  chriftians  from 
Rome,  and  was  by  them  accompanied  thither.  Be- 
ing now  arrived  at  the  place  of  his  deftination,  he 
was  delivered  by  the  centurion  to  the  cuftody  of  a 
foidier,  who  was  chained  to  him  ;  but  in  other  rcf- 
pfc&s  he  was  at  his  liberty,  and  thus  he  continued 
two  whole  years,  in  a  houfe  which  he  hired,  end 
had  no  reflraint  put  upon  him  with  refpect-  to  fee- 
ing or  receiving  any  body  ;  a  liberty  which  we 
cannot  doubt  he  made  ufe  of  in  favour  of  the  gof« 
pel. 

When  Paul  had  been  in  Home  three  days,  he 
fent  for  the  chief  men  among  the  Jews,  and  gave 
them  an  account  of  himfelf,  and  of  the  caufe  of  his 

being 


i2o      THE  HISTORY  OF  THE      Per,  I. 

being  fent  thither.  On  this  a  day  was  fixed  for  a 
public  hearing  of  him  ;  and  the  confequence  of  it 
was,  that  fome  of  them,  as  in  other  places,  became 
converts  to  chriflianity,  while  the  rest  were  obfli- 
nate  in  their  unbelief;  (o  that  Paul  informed  them 
that,  feeiug  no  profp-rcl:  of  making  any  impreflion 

in  them,  he  ihould  apply  himfcll  to  the    Gen- 
tiles. 

We  have  no  account  of  Paul's  trial  before 
the  emperor  ;  but  it  may  be  collected  from  the  e- 
pitlles  which  he  wrote  from  Rome,  that  though  his 
friends  deferted  him  upon  that  occafion,  he  was 
enabled  to  deliver  himfelf  with  great  bold- 
nefs  ;  and  that  many  perfons,  either  from  what 
he  faid  on  that  occafion,  or  at  other  times,  became 
converts  to  chriflianity,  and  among  them  were 
fome  of  the  emperor's  family.  He  was  probably 
refer,  ed  for  a  farther  hearing,  and  after  two  years 
he  had  his  liberty  given  him. 

At  Rome,  Paul,  having  leifure  to  write,  as 
well  as  to  preach,  wrote  feveral  valuable  epiftles,  as 
that  to  the  Ephefians,  a  Second  to  Timothy,  to  the 
.  Philippians,  to  the  Colcffians,  and  to  Philemon. 
He  alfo  wrote  the  epiflle  to  the  Hebrews,  a  little 
before,  or  foon  after,  his  reieafe.  Confidering  the 
number  of  epiftles  which  he  wrote  from  Rome,  it 
is  rather  remarkable  that  he  did  not  write  (o  much 

as 


Sec.  VII.     CHRISTIAN  CHURCH        121 

brie  during  his  equally  long  confinement  in  Ju- 
dcd.  as  it  docs  not  appear  that  he  was  not  at  libcr- 
.  .uc. 
rheobjeft  of  the  epiflie  to  the  Ephefians  is  to 
(B  the  chriftians  of  Ephcfus,  to  whom  he  had 
preached  a  Idng  time,  in  the  pure  faith  of  the  go f- 
p  I  and  to  counteract  the  endeavours  of  the  Jew- 
ifh  teachers  to  bring  them  into  bondage  to  the  law 
of  Mofes.  But  though  it  is  probable,  from  the 
fir  ft  epiflie  to  Timothy,  that  thefe  Jewifh  teachers 
were  Gnoftics,  there  is  no  direct  reference  to  any- 
peculiar  Gnoflic  opinions  in  this  epiflie.  What 
he  chiefly  labours  is  to  irnprefs  the  minds  of  thofe 
to  whom  he  wrote  with  a  jufl  fenfe  of  the  value  of 
the  gofpel,  of  the  ooocnefs  of  God  in  calling  the 
gentiles  to  the  privileges  of  it,  and  the  importance 
of  moral  and  relative  duties. 

There  is  a  peculiar  dignity  and  fublimity  in 
this  epiflie,  as  well  as  evident  marks  of  the  flrong 
affection  that  Paul  bore  toall  his  chriftian converts ; 
and  the  fame  has  been  obferved  with  refpeft  to  all 
the  epiflles  which  he  wrote  from  Rome.  He  pro- 
bably knew  that  he  was  near  the  clofe  of  his  life, 
and  therefore  he  wrote  with  that  energy  with  which 
a  man  naturally  gives  his  laft  admonitions  to  thofe 
he  loves. 

It  is  moft  probable   that  the  fecond  epiflie    to 

Timothy  was  written  not  long  after  Paul's   arrival 

Vol,  I.  O.  -• 


i22      THE  HISTORY  OF  THE       Per.  I. 

at  Rome,  and  in  the  fpring  or  beginning  of  Cum- 
mer, as  he  prefles  him  to  come  to  him  before  win- 
ter ;  and  in  the  other  epiftles  from  Rome,    Timo- 
thy appears  to  have  been  with  Paul ;  his  name  be- 
in^  joined  with  his   own  in  his    falutations    from 
that  place.     The  defign  of  this  epiftle,  befides  urg- 
ing Timothy  to  come  to  him,  was   to    encourage 
him  to  perfevere  in  preaching  the  gofpel,  notwiths- 
tanding the  oppofition  he  might    meet   with,  the 
corruptions  that  would  be  introduced  into  it,  and 
the  degeneracy   of  many   who  bore  the  chriftian 
name.     In  this  epiftle  there  are  evident  allufions 
to  the  Gnoftic  doctrines,  as  there  alfo  were  in  the 
firfl  epiftle  to  Timothy,    It  is  probable,  therefore, 
that  the  Gnoftic s  were  numerous  at   Ephefus,  as 
well  as  at  Corinth  ;  though  Paul  might  not  chufe 
to  mention  them  in  the  epiftle  to  the  Ephefians 
themfelves. 

The  chriftians  at  Philippi  were  probably  weal- 
thy, and  they  were  proportionably  generous,  as 
they  contributed  largely  to  the  apoftle's  fupport, 
when  other  churches  were  inattentive  to  his  cir- 
cumftances.  They  had  not  been  unmindful  of 
his  fituation  now  that  he  was  a  prifoner  at  Rome, 
but  had  fent  Epaphroditus,  one  of  their  body,  with 
a  liberal  contribution  for  his  relief.  This  he  grate- 
fully acknowledges  in  this  epiftile,  the  principal  ob- 
ject of  which,  as  of  many  others,  is  to  exhort  thofe 

t# 


Sec.  VII.     CHRISTIAN  CHURCH.       123 

to  whom  he  writes  to  pcrfeverc  in  the  purity  of 
the  gofpcl,  and  to  refill  the  attempts  of  the  Judaiz- 
ing  teachers  to  fow  divifions  among  them,  and  ef- 
pecially  to  recommend  their  profefhon  by  a  fuita- 
bie  life  and  converfation.  The  manner  in  which 
he  fpeaks  of  his  own  (ituation,  and  the  faiisfa&ion 
he  exprefles  in  all  that  he  had  done,  and  fufFered, 
for  the  fake  of  the  gofpel,  is  equal'y  edifying.  He 
appears  when  he  wrote  this  epiftle,  to  have  had 
hopes  of  being  fet  at  liberty  ;  but  as  to  hirnfelf,  he 
fays  it  was  a  matter  of  indifference  whether  he  lived 
or  died,  provided  his  life  or  death  might  be  fub- 
fervient,  as  he  was  confident  either  of  them  would 
be,  to  the  propagation  of  the  gofpel. 

ColofTe  was    a  confiderable  city  in   Phrygia,, 
where  there  appears  to  have  been  achriftian  church 
pretty  early,  though  it  is  not  known  by    whom  it 
was  planted.     Probably,  however,  it  wss  by  fome 
of  Paul's  fellow  labourers,   during    his  long  refi- 
dence  at  Ephefus,   or   perhaps   by   faimfelf.     Hie 
epiftle  to  the  chriftians  at  that  place  appears  to  have 
been  written  fome  time  before  the  end  of  the  yeai 
62,  and  to  have  been  fent  along  with  that  to  Phile- 
mon,  by  Tychicus  and  Onefimus,  when  Paul  had 
fome  profpeft   of  being    releafed  from    his    con- 
finement.    The  general  flrain  of  it  is  fo  much  the 
fame  with  that  to  the  Ephefians,  that  they  are  com- 
monly called  the  two  lifter  epiftles*     In   both    of 

tnem 


t24         THE  HISTORY  OF  THE       Per.1v 

ihcm  the  object  of  the  apoflle  was  to  eflablifh  thofe 
to  whom  they  were  addrefTed  in  the  pure  faith  of 
the  gofpel,  on  the  value  of  which  he  much  enlarges, 
in  oppofition  to  the  corruption  of  it  by  the  Jewifh 
Gnoflics;  and  he  ftrongly  urges  the  practice  of  mo- 
ral duties,  which  the  Gnoflics,  too  much  occupied 
with  matters  of  fpeculation,  were  generally  charged 
with  neglecting. 

Philemon  was  a  citizen  of  ColofTe,  whofe  flave 
Onefimus  had  run  away  from  him,  and  probably 
robbed  him  ;  but  coming  to  Rome  while  Paul 
was  there,  and  hearing  him  preach,  he  not  only 
became  a  convert  to  chnftianity,  but  made  himfelf 
ufeful  to  the  apoflle.  Being,  no  doubt,  convinced 
by  him  of  the  wrong  that  he  had  done  his  matter, 
he  was  prevailed  upon  to  return  to  him ;  and  to 
make  his  reception  the  eafier,  Paul  gave  him  this 
letter,  which  at  the  fame  time  that  it  fhews  his  jufl 
fenfe  of  moral  obligation,  difcovers  much  polite 
addrefs ;  from  which  it  is  evident  that  the  apoflle 
was  no  wild  enthufiali,  but  one  who  was  well  ac- 
quainted with  mankind,  and  human  nature. 

Notwithstanding  the  epiflle  to  the  Hebrews 
does  not  bear  the  name  of  Paul,  there  are  in  my 
opinion,  many  internal  marks  of  its  being  his ;  and 
it  was  probably  written  by  him,  if  after  he  was  at 
liberty,  before  he  left  Italy,  a.  d.  63.  Like  the 
epiflle  to  the  Romans,  it  is  properly  a  treatife,  the 

obje6i 


Sec.  VII.      CHRISTIAN   CHURCH      ,2£ 

object  of  which  is    to   IcfTcn  the  exceflive  regard 
which  the  Jewifli  chriftians  of  that  age  entertained 
for  the  inflitutions   of  Mofes,   which  made     them 
wifh  to    impofe   them  on    the    gentile    converts. 
With  this  view  the  writer  endeavours  to  fhew   the 
fuperiority  of  Chrift  to  Mofes,  and  of  the   chrifti- 
an  difpenikioti  to  the  Jewifh,  in  a  vari.  i\>  of  ref- 
pe6b  ;  aflerting  that  whatever  there  was   that   was 
moll  eftecmed  in  the  infhrutions  o\  Mofes,   there 
was  fome:Iiing  of  the  fame  nature,  and    fuperior  in 
kind,  in  the  gofpel.   More  particularly,  as  the  Jews 
made  great  boafts  of  their  prieflhood,  their  temple, 
and  their  facrifices,  he  finds  a  temple,  a  prieflhood, 
and  a  facrifice  in  chrifiianity.     But  in    this    there 
was  much  room  for  imagination,  and  for    fancying 
there  was  a  correfpondence    in   the   two    fyftems, 
where  none  was  intended  in  the  original  confuta- 
tion of  them. 

After  writing  this  epiftle,  it  is  conjectured  that 
Paul  might  go  to  Jerufalem  ;  but  that  finding  every 
thing  in  confufion  there,  as  it  was  but  a  Hurt  time 
before  the  breaking  out  of  the  Jewifh  wa-,  he  did 
not  continue  long  in  the  country  ;  and  as  he  had 
exprefTed  an  intention  of  vifiting  Spain,  it  is  not 
improbable  but  that  with  this  view  he  went  to 
Rome,  and  being  there  at  the  time  of  the  perft 
t;on  by  Nero,  he  was,  according  to  tradition,  be« 
headed  by  order  of  that  tyrant,  or    his  minifies  ; 


126       THE  HISTORY  OF  THE      Per,  I. 

being  exempted  from  torture  as  a  Roman  cititzen, 
while  Peter,  who  was  thereat  the  fame  time,  was 
crucified. 


-«^j3cseBS3EE5335aaser 


SECTION    VIII. 

Of  the  Labours  of  the  other  Apojlks, 


A 


FTER  giving  this  particular  account  of 
Paul,  his  labours,  and  his  writings,  which  his  own 
epifHes,  as  well  as  the  Afts  of  the  apojlles,  written 
by  his  companion  Luke,  happily  enabled  us  to 
do ;  I  (hall  give  the  little  that  I  have  been  able  to 
'colled  of  what  was  done,  or  written,  by  the  other 
apples,  before  the  creuruflion  of  Jerufalem,  which 
was  then  approaching. 

James,  called  the  brother  of  our  Lord,  proba- 
bly ended  his  courfe  during  the  confinement  of 
Paul  at  Rome,  after  writing  the  epiftle  which 
bears  his  name.  The  object  of  it  is  to  enforce  a 
variety  of  moral  duties,  which  were  much  neglect- 
ed by  the  Jews  of  that  age  ;  and  it  feems  to  have 
been  defigned  for  the  ufe   of   the   unbelieving,  as 

wel 


Sec.  VIII.  CHRISTIAN  CHURCH.       nr 

well  as  the  believing,  Jews,  It  is  (aid  that  he  was 
generally  known  by  the  firname  of  James  thejujl,  no 
doubt  for  his  exemplary  virtue  and  piety,  for  which 
he  was  highly  efteemed  by  the  fober  part  of  the 
nation  in  general. 

According  to  Eufebius*,  the  Jews,  difappoint- 
ed  of  their  wicked  purpofe  refpefting  Paul,  when 
he  was  fent  to  Rome,  were  the  more  exafperated  a- 
againftthe  other  chriflians,  and  efpecially  fames  ; 
and  on  the  death  of  Feftus  (there  being  fome  interval 
between  that  event  and  the  arrival  of  Aibinus, 
the  next  Roman  governor)  they  put  him  to  death 
in  a  tumultuous  manner.  Many  of  „  the  circum- 
flances,  as  related  by  Hcgelippus,  feemto  be  fabu- 
lous ;  but  it  may  be  true  that,  upon  his  perfifting 
in  giving  his  teftimony  to  the  meGiahfhip  oi  Jefus, 
he  was  fentenced  to  be  floned  as  a  blafphemer,  and 
that  this  was  put  in  execution,  after  firft  throwing 
him  down  from  fome  part  of  the  temple  ;  and  that 
while  he  was  praying  for  his  perfecutors,  he  was 
difpatched  by  the  blow  of  a  fuller's  pole.  Jofe- 
phus  fays,  that  this  James,  and  others,  were  fen- 
tenced to  be  floned  by  the  fupreme  council  ot  the 
nation,  before  the  arrival  of  Aibinus,  as  violators 
of  the  law ;  but  that  the  more  fober  part  of  the  citi- 
zens were  offended  at  it,  as  an  illegal  proceeding ; 
alfo  that  Aibinus,  being  by  their  means  informed 

of 
*IIift.Lib.  ii,  Cap.  20.  p,  77, 


t28       THE  HISTORY  OF  THE      Per.  t 

of  their  proceedings,  wrote  to  the  high-prieft, 
threatening  to  punifh  him  for  it,* 

Peter,  having,  as  we  have  feen,  been  at  Anti- 
och,  had  probably  preached  chiefly  in  Afia  Minor, 
efpecially  in  the  provinces  of  Pontus,  Galatia, 
Cappadocia,  Afia,  and  Bythinia,  becaufe  his  fi.ft 
epiflle  is  directed  to  the  chriflians  in  thofe  places* 
It  fecms  to  have  been  written  not  long  after  Paul 
was  releafed  from  Rome  ;  and  as  it  contains  faluta- 
tions  from  the  church  at  Babylon,  where  at  that 
time  there  were  many  Jews,  fome  of  whom,  no 
doubt,  were  chriflians,  it  is  probable  that  he  wrote 
from  this  place  ;  though  he  might  afterwards  go  to 
Rome,  and  there  write  his  fecond  epiflle,  as  accord- 
ing to  tradition,  he  fuffered  martyrdom  there.  It 
is  alio  faid  that  the  wife  of  Peter  fullered  at  the 
fame  time,  and  that  when  he  Yaw  her  going  to  exe- 
cution, he  rejoiced  that  God  had  called  her  to  fo 
glorious  a  death4f  Some  fay  that  Peter  not  think- 
ing himfelf  worthy  to  fufFer  in  the  fame  manner  as 
his  mailer  had  done,  was,  at  his  own  requefl,  cruci- 
fied  with  his  head  downwards. 

The  objeft  of  Peter's  fir  ft  epiflle  is  to  exhort 
the  chriflians  to  whom  he  wrote,  to  perfevere  in 
the  profeffion  of  the  gofpel,  notwithflanding  the 
difficulties  under  which  they  then  laboured.    With 

this 
*Ant.    Lib.  xx.  Cap.  8.  p.  896. 
fEufeb,  ttifU  Lib.  iii,  Cap.  30.  p,  124, 


Sec.  VII.     CHRISTIAN  CHURCH.       129 

this  view  he  rcprefents  to  them,  in  a  very  ftrong 
light,  the  honour  and  advantage  they  derived  from 
the  knowledge  of  the  gofpel  j  and  having  enlar^<  I 
on  this,  he  exhorts  them  to  adorn  their  profeflion 
of  it  by  the  obfervance  of  the  moral  duties  of  life, 
which  he  particularly  enumerates. 

The  fccond  epiflle  of  Peter  is  a  fupplementto 
the  former,  and  in  this  he  warns  chriftians  more 
particularly  of  their  danger  from  thofe  who  corrupt- 
ed the  gofpel,  and  whofe  practices  were,  as  was 
generally  believed,  as  licentious  as  their  principles  ; 
alluding,  no  doubt,  to  the  Gnoflic  teachers  of  that 
age.  He  alfo  exhoits  to  vigilance,  and  conftancy 
in  the  difcharge  of  our  duty,  from  the  confideration 
of  the  diffolution  of  the  world,  and  the  coming  ot 
Chrifl  to  judgement.  In  thefe  two  epi  files  of  Pe- 
ter many  attentive  readers  have  obferved  that,  with- 
out much  regularity  of  compofition,  cr  clearnefs 
of  expreflion,  there  is  a  peculiar  dignity  and  energy 
exceeding  any  thing  in  the  writings  of  Paul,  and 
worthy  of  the  prince  of  the  apoflles. 

Though  much  of  what  is  related  by  Eufebius* 
concerning  the  meeting  of  Peter  and  Simon  Magus 
at  Rome,  be  unqueftionably  fabulous,  and  the  Cci- 
mentine  Homilies  are  evidently  a  romance,  it  is  not 

improbable  but  that  fome  well  known  intercourfj 
between  them  might  have   given  occafion  to  both. 

Vol.  I.  R.  As 

*Hift,   Lib.  ii.Ca$  14.  p.  63. 


ISO       TKL  HibiORY  OK  THE       Per.  1 

As  Simon  probably  abandoned  the  profeffion  of 
chriftianity,  and  diflinguiflied  hirnfelf  by  travelling 
into  diflant  countries,  teaching  his  principles 
wherever  he  came,  he  might  well  meet  with  Perer, 
aid  they  might  have  feveral  disputations  •  Simon 
confiding  in  his  eloquence  and  addrefs,  and  Peter, 
though  deflitute  of  thofe  advantages,  yet  poffeff- 
ipg  others  of  a  fuperior  nature,  not  likely  to  decline 
an  interview  with  him. 

The  epiftle  of  Jude  was  probably  written  upon 
the  fame  occafson,  and  about  the  fame  time,  with 
the  lafl  of  Peter  -  being  evidently  intended  to  guard 
chriflians  again  ft  the  principles  and  practices  of  the 
Gnoflics.  We  know  very  little  elfe  concerning 
this  apoftle,  who  is  otherwife  called  Lebbeus,  and 
Thaddeus,  the  brother  of  James,  the  fon  of  Alphe- 
us,  probably  the  fame  with  Cleophas,  and  together 
with  him  called  the  brother  of  our  Lord.  Where 
this  apoftle  lived,  or  how  he  died,  we  are  not  in- 
formed ;  but  probably  he  continued  in  fome  part 
of  Judea  till  the  breaking  out  of  the  war. 

The  apoftle  Philip  is  fa  id  to  have  lived  chiefly 
at  Hierapolis  ;  and  Papias,  one  of  the  firft  bifhops 
of  that  place,  fays,  that  a  perfon  was  raifed  to  life 
by  him.  The  fame  writer  lays  that  Julius,  fur- 
named  Bar  (abas,  who  was  thought  by  the  apo  (lies' 
to  be  a  proper  perfon  to   fucceed   Judas   Ifcariot, 


Sec.  VII.     CHRISTIAN  CHURCH        131 

as  well  as  Matthias  on  whom  the  lot  fell,  having 
drank  poifon,  received  no  injury  from  it*. 

Bartholomew,  who  was  probably  (lie  fame  with 
X  ithaniel,  appv.ns  to  have  preached  in  India.  For 
there,  according  to  Eiifttiiiisf,  Pantcnus  found  a 
Hebrew  gofpel  of  Matthew,  which  had  been  left  by 
him,  and  alio  many  chriflians,  who  may  be  f-ijj- 
pofed  to  have  been  the  d< .  fcendanl:  of  his  con- 
verts. 

As  the  epiftlcs  of  John,  and  alio  the  book  oi 
Revelation,  were  probably  written  after  the  deft  ruc- 
tion of  Jarufalem,  I  fhall  not  fpeak  of  them  in  this 
•  but  it  is  probable  that  his  Gofpel,  as  well 
others,  were  written  about  the  time 
.1  and  Jude  wrote    their   epiftles,    viz.  on 

approach  o(  the  Jewifh  war  ;  when  the  general 
difpei'ionof  the  difciples  was  forefeen,  and  it  war. 
evident  that  the  anoftles  couVt  not  continue  Ion? 
upon  the  flage. 

It  is  generally  thought  that  the  gofpel  of  Mat- 
thew was  written  firfl  ;  but  as  it  is  pretty  eviden': 
that  neither  Mark  nor  Luke  had  feen  it,  it  could 
not  have  been  publifhed  long  before  they  wrote. 
This  gofpel  was  probably  written  in  Hebrew;  b;;: 
as  the  two  firfl  chapters,  which  contain  the  account 
of  the  miraculous  conception  of  [elus,  were  net  in 

the 

*  Eufcb.  Kift.  Lib.  ii'r  Cap.  39>  p.  137. 
■  T  :b.  v.^ap.  10.  p.  22   . 


i22        THEHITORY  OF  THE       Per.  I. 

the  Ebionite  copies  of  this  gofpel,  I  take  it  for 
granted  they  were  not  written  by  Matthew,  but 
were  prefixed  to  his  gofpel  aftei  wards.  As  the 
learned  Symmachus,  in  his  commentary  on  this 
gofpel*,  endeavoured  to  difapprove  the  ftory  of 
the  miraculous  conception,  it  could  not  have  been 
thought  by  him  to  have  been  a  part  of  the  authentic 

copy. 

Mark,  the  Ton  of  Barnabas's  filler,  and  his  com- 
panion as  well  as  Paul's,  is  faid  to  have  been,  in  the 
latter  part  of  his  life,  the  companion  of  Peter,  and 
to  have  written  his  Gofpel  under  the  inflection, 
and  with  the  approbation  of  that  apoftlef .  Mark 
is  alfo  faid  to  have  ended  his  days  at  Alexandria  in 

Egypf+-  _ , 

Luke  is  faid  to  have  been  a  phyfician  at  Anti- 
och,  and  together  with  Mark  and  Barnabas,  to 
feave  been  one  of  the  feventy  difciples§.  He  evi- 
dently wrote  the  ABs  of  the  apojlles  after  Paul's 
acquital  at  Rome,  and  his  Gofpel  fome  time  be-  ; 
lore. 

John  is  faid  to  have  written  his  Gofpel  at 
the  requefl  of  the  church  of  Ephefus,  after  the 
publication   of  the   other    three,  to  fupply  their  ] 

defects. 

*  Eufeb.Hift.  Lib.vi.  Cap.  lJVp.  278. 

|  Eufeb.   Ilia.  Lib.  ii.  Cap.  15.  p.  64. 

J  lb.  Lib.  ii.  Cap.  16.  p.  65. 

i  lb.  Lib.  Hi'  Cap.  4.  p.  91  > 


Sec.  VIII.  CHRISTIAN  CHURCH.-        133 

dcfctts.  It  alfo  appears  to  have  been  a  principal 
object  with  him,  in  his  Gofpel,  as  wcll  as  in  lis 
epiflles,  to  obviate  the  cavils  of  the  Gnollics,  fli  r- 
ing  that  Jefus  had  real  flcfh  and  blood,  like  01  her 
men,  and  that  the  Chrijt  was  not  a  perfon  diflmft 
from  him,  but  that  Jefus  himfelf  was  the  Ch 
the  Son  ot  God. 

What  became  of  the  apofl'es  whofe  1 
not  yet  been  mentioned  is  now    unknown,   1  x     | 
that  Thomas  is  faid  to  have  preached   in    Parthia, 
and  Andrew  in  Scythia,  but   with  what  fuceds  is 
not  faid*. 


S  E  C  T  I  O  N     IX. 

Of  the  Pcrfccution   under  Nero, 

X  ILL  the  reign  of  Nero,  the  Roman 
emperors  had  done  nothing  that  was  hoflile  to 
chriflianity,  having  probably  confidered  the  chrif- 
tians  as  a  fe6l  of  the  Jews,  with  whofe  cuftoms  they 
were  well  acquainted,  and  whom  they  had  always 
tolerated,  in  all  the  provinces  of  the  empire.     But 

tilt 
*Euf.  Lib.  iii.  Cap,  I.  p.  87 


s34        THE  HISTORY  OF  THE       Per.!. 

die  enmity  which  the  Jews  bore  them  would  in 
time  fhew  that  they  were  adiftinct  body  of  men. 
and  prcfelytes  made  by  the  Jews  were  few  compar- 
ed with  thofe  that  were  made  by  chriftians.  Their 
converts  were  fo  numerous,  that  by  this  time  it  be- 
gan to  be  apprehenceo  that  there  might  be  feme 
danger  of  the  rites  of  the  heathen  religion  being 
difcontinued,  and  upon  the  obfervance  of  thefe  it 
was  irnagned  that  the  welfare  of  the  ftate  depend- 
ed. The  zealous  heathens,  therefore,  mutt  have 
locked  with  an  evil  eye  upon  the  chriftian  miffion- 
aries,  independently  of  the  many,  who,  like  De- 
metrius of  Ephelus,  were  perfonally  interefted  in 
the  fupport  of  the  ancient    worfhip. 

Befides,  the  chriftians,  teaching  a  new  religion 
which  was  hoftile  to  all  others,  and  aimed  at  nothing 
lefs  than  the  utter  fubverfion  of  the  worfhip  that  had 
hitherto  been  paid  to  the  heathen  gods,  were  in  com- 
mon language  faid  to  be  guilty  of  the  fame  impiety 
with  which  others  who  had  at  any  time  neglected  the 
worfhip  of  the  gods  had  been  charged;  and  with 
the  guilt  of  impiety  was  connected  the  idea  of  ma- 
ny horrid  crimes.  On  this  account  the  chriftians 
being  con  fid  ere  d  as  prcphanz  and  ir/ipiGus  people, 
by  thofe  who  did  not  trouble  themfelves  to  make 
any  inquiry  into  their  principles  and  conduct;, 
when  it  fuited    Nero's  purpofe    to    perfecute  the 

Lilians,  great  numbers  were  \srz)l  prepared  to  fe- 

cond* 


Seg.  XI.         CHRISTIAN   CIILKCII 

coikI  his  views,  and  to  make  very  li^ht  of   any  fi 
feringlto  which  they  could  be  expofed. 

We  have  no  diflincl;  account  or  this  perfecutt* 
on  of  Nero  by  any  chriflian  writer  who  lived  at  or 
near  the  time  ;  but  it  appears  from  the  accounts  of 
Tacitus  and    Suetonius,  that  when   this   emperor 
had  wantonly  fet  (ire  to  the  city  of   Rome,    taking 
advantage  of  the  general  odium  under  Which  the 
chriflians  then  lay,  he  gave  out  that  it  was  done  by 
them  ;  and  though  no  credit  was  given  to  the  ac<     - 
iation,   yet    on   that  pretence  he  exercifed    upon 
them,  with  the  concurrence  of  the  people,  the  molt 
(hocking    barbarities.        They    were     impiifoned 
and  tortured.     Some    were   ciucified,  and  others 
were     impaled,    being   held    in    an    upright  po- 
rtion by  flakes  thurft  through  their  jaws;  and  feme 
were  thrown  to    the  wild  beafis.      But   what 
particularly  infulting  and  cruel,  great   number 
them,  wrapped  in   gaiments  dipped  in  pitch,   and 
other  combuftibles,  werefaflened  to  polls,  a 
was  put  to  them,  that  they  might  give  light  to 
city,  and  expire   in  this  mo  ft:  excruciating  tor: 
Nero  is  faid  to  have  illuminated    his  own  gai 
-  king  manner,  and  by  thifc   Hgh4  to  I 
I  hifl         in  driving  his  chariot.    In  tl 

utionthe  tender  fex  was  not  (pared,  an 
witliQanding  the  general  odium  under  wl-- 
chriflian:  then  lay;  thefc  cruelties  excited  the  co*n- 


i36       THE  HISTORY  OF  THE       Per,  I. 

paflion  of  many,  who  could  not  but  perceive  that 
thefe  facrifices  were  made  to  gratify  the  cruelty  and 
caprice  of  one  man,  and  not  for  any  purpofe  of  pub- 
lic utility*. 

In  what  manner  the  order  was  given  for  this 
perfecution  we  are  not  told,  but  it  was  probably  by 
a  decree  of  die  fenate,  which  always  exercifed  the 
power  of  checking  foreign  religions,  it  being 
thought  to  be  their  province  in  this,  as  well  as  in 
every  other  method,  to  take  care  of  the  flate.  And 
if  this  perfecution  was  authorifed  by  a  decree  of  the 
fenate,  it  probably  extended  to  all  parts  of  the 
Reman  empire  ;  and,  not  being  repealed,  would 
be  a  ftacding  rale  for  the  proceedings  of  the  gover- 
nors of  provinces,  though  they  would,  no  doubt,  ex- 
cute  the  law  with  more  or  lefs  rigour,  according  to 
their  own  difpofitions.  The  perfecution  of  chriflians, 
therefore,  being  once  begun  in  this  manner,  would 
be  continued  in  all  future   time,  without  any  new 

law. 

That  this  perfecution  of  Nero  did  extend  to  the 
remote  provinces  is  exprefsly  ailertedby  Oiofiust, 
and  is  alfo  evident  from  a  inscription  found  in 
Spain  in  honour  of  Nero,  for  clearing  the  province 

of 

*  Tacit  An.  Lib.  xv.  S,  44.  Sueton.  Nero,  S.  16. 

*j-  Frimas  Romse  chriftiancs  fuppliciis  et  mortibus 
aufecit,  ac  per  omnes  prcvincias  pari  perfecutione  ex- 
cruciari  imperavit.  Lib.  vii.  Cap.  7.  p.  473.  £d.  Ha- 
ve re  am  p. 


Sfic.  IX.       CHRISTIAN  CHURCH.      137 

of  robbers,  and  of  thofe  who    taught  mankind  a  new 
jupcrjlition.     For  in  this  manner  were  the  chriftianS 
at   that   time  ufually     characterized   by    the  hea- 
thens*. 

Confidering  the  great  number  of  chriftians  who 
muft  have  penfhed  at  Rome  only  in  this  perfecu- 
tion  (Tacitus  faying  they  were  a  great  multitude, 
ingens  multitude!)  and  that,  in  the  molt  violent  per- 
fections, they  who  fuffer  are  few  in  comparison  of 
thofe  who,  by  fome  means  or  other,  efcape  ;  this 
hiftory  affords  an  indifputable  proof  of  the  great 
grogrefs  that  chriftianicy  had  made  in  the  age  of  the 
apoflles.  Indeed,  to  have  incurred  the  general 
hatred  that  Tacitus  mentions,  which  implies  that 
they  had  drawn  a  great  degree  of  attention  upon 
them,  they  mud  have  been  very  numerous  5  and 
Nero  mud  have  been  fenfible  of  it,  or  he  could 
never  have  thought  of  taking  advantage  of  the  cir- 
cumftance  in  order  to  fcreen  himfelf  from  public 
refentment.  And  there  can  be  no  doubt,  but  that 
there  were  at  that  time  many  more  chriftians  in 
Antioch,  Ephefus,  and  other  great  cities,  in  the 
eaflern  provinces,  then  in  Rome,  where  it  is  not 
probable  that  any  apoflle  fad  preached*  before 
Paul,  and  he  not  more  than  two  years ;  though 
a  foundation  had  been  laid,  and  a  chriftian 
Vol.   I.  S  church 

*  See  an  account  of  this  inLardncr's  Heathen  Tclli- 
monies,Chap.  3.  "Works,  V<A.  vii,  p.  24& 


i33       THE  HISTORY  OF  THE       Pin.  I. 

church    had  been  eftablifhed  there  before  his  ar- 
rival. 


SECTION    X. 

Of  the  Calamities  of the  Jews,  and  of  the  DeflruBion 
of  Jerufalem  and  the  Temple* 

XT  was  in  the  reign  of  Nero  that  the  war 
broke  out  between  the  Jews  and  the  Romans,  in 
thecourfe  of  which  the  former  fufFered  more  than 
any  other  people  are  known  to  have  done  in  the 
fame  fpace  of  time.  In  thefe  events  our  Saviour's 
prophecies  concerning  the  calamities  of  the  nation, 
and  particularly  concerning  the  deiiruclionoftbecity 
of  Jerufalem,  and  of  the  temple,  were  exadlly  ful- 
filled ;  and  the  verification  of  this  prediction  is  the 
more  remaikable,  as  the  events  are  recorded  not  by 
a  chnftian,  but  by  a  Jewifh  hiftorian  (Jofephus) 
whofe  account  is  confirmed  by  the  writings  of 
feveral  heathens. 

They 


Sec.  VII.     CHRISTIAN  CHURCH. 

The    Jews  had  always  very  ill    br<     I     I   their 

fubjcclion  to  the  Romans  ;  and  when  | 
tempt  was  made  io  lake  the    cenfus   amoii^  th 
by  Ouirinus,  governor  o(  Syria,  a.  n.  9.  th 
a  considerable  revolt,  headed  by  Judas  o(  Galilee  ; 
and  though  he  and  his  party  were  foop  fupprefled, 
their  principles  had  taken   deep  root  in    the  c 
try  ;  and  whenever  the  Reman  -overnors  acted  in 
an  arbitrary  and  oppreflive   manner,    as  ihcy  qfteri 
did,  the  people  always  (hewed  a  difpofition  to  rebel. 
What  made  the  caufc  of  the  revolters  more  popular 
was  the  connexion   which  their  principles  oi  civil 
liberty  was  fuppofed  to  have  withthofe  of  their  re- 
ligion, which  gave  them  a  high  idea  of  the  dignity 
of   their  nation,  as  the   peculiar    people    of  God. 
They  ought,  it  was  faid,  to  have  no  other   m  after 
but  him,  who  was  not  only  the  fole  object  of  their 
worlhip,  but  their  proper  civil    governor  alio,    the 
only  lawful  head  of   their  nation. 

That  there  were  perfons  who  had   this   idea,  is 
evident  from  fome  of  them  putting  this  queftic. 
our  Saviour,  Is  it  lawful  to  give  tribute  to  Cajar,  or 
not  ?     And  that  this  party  was  then  numerous,  and 
had  great  influence   in  public  is    evi< 

from  his    prudent   apfwer*,  Give  unto  pa 
ngs  that  arc  Casfat  '5,  and  unto  Go  \tl 


i4o       THE  HISTORY  OF  THE      Per.  L 

are  God's,  not  chufing  to    give  them   any   handle 
againft  him. 

The  fame  fpirit  of  liberty  and  independence, 
joined  to  the  contempt  which  the  Jews  entertained 
for  other  nations,  made    them    generally  hated  by 
the  populace  wherever  they  were  fettled  ;   though 
it  is  evident  that  many  per  Pons  of  reflection  refpe&- 
ed  them  on  account  or    their   religion,  which  ap- 
peared at  fir  ft    fight  to  be  more  rational   than  any 
that  prevailed  in  other  countries  ;  and  it    pleafed 
divine  providence  that  molt  people  mould  have  an 
opportunity  of  forming  a  judgment  in    the    cafe. 
It  is  remarkable  that  there  was  no  city  of  any  con- 
fequence,  in  all  the  eaftern  part  of   the    world,  in 
which  there  was  not,  in    vay  early  times  a  consi- 
derable number  of  Jews.       It    appears   from   the 
book  of  Either,  that  the  Jews  were  then  fettled  in 
all  the  provinces  of   the  Perfian  empire,   but  few 
oi  them  having  returned  to  Judea  after  the  Baby- 
loriifh  captivity,  and  being  favoured  by  Cyrus  and 
the  fuccceding  kings  of  Perfia.     They  had  no  lefs 
our  (hewn  them  by  Alexander  the  Great  and  in 
general  by  his  fucceflbrs,  both  in  Syria  and  Egypt, 
efpeciaUy  in  the  latter,  where    they   were   a    great 
proportion  of  the  inhabitants  of  Alexandria.      Un- 
der the  Maccabees  they  had  a  league  with  the  Ro- 
mans,   and    though   the    Roman  emperois  after- 
wards took  the  government  of  the  country  into  their 

own 


Seg.  X.  CHRISTIAN    CHURCH       141 

own  hands,  they  did  not  diminifh  their  privileges 
in  any  other  part  of  the  empire. 

It  was  in  Egypt,  which  at  this  time  is  fuppof- 
ed  to  have  contained  not  lefs  than  a  million  of 
Jews,  that  the  hatred  (A  the  other  inhabitants  firft 
fhewed  itfelfin  any  open  ads  of  violence.  Agrip- 
pa,  the  fon  of  AriRobulus,  and  grand fon  of  He- 
rod the  Great,  being  appjinted  king  ot  Judea  by 
Caligula,  and  going  through  Egypt,  was  intuited 
in  Alexandria  by  a  mock  proceflion,  in  ridicule 
of  him  and  his  kingdom  ;  and  the  populace  being 
favoured  by  the  governor  Flaccus,  would  place  a 
a  ftatue  of  the  emperor  (who  had  infifled  upon  be- 
ing worfhipped  as  a  God)  in  the  Jewifh  fyna- 
gogues.  In  this  tumult  many  fynagogues  of  the 
Jews  were  deinolifhed  and  burned. 

The  Jews  were  then  deprived,  by  order  of  the 
governor,  of  their  privilege  of  citizens,  and  confin- 
ed to  a  fmall  quarter  of  the  town  ;  in  cenfequence 
of  which  the  houfes  and  (hops,  which  they  had  been 
obliged|to abandon,  were  plundered,  and  in  the  pro- 
grefs  of  the  tumult  many  of  the  Jews  were  burned 
alive,  and  dragged  through  the  ilreets.  The  ac- 
count of  thefe  cruelties  greatly  amufed  the  brutal 
emperor  ;  and  when  an  embaiFy  was  fent  to  him 
from  the  Jews  of  Alexandria,  with  the  celebrated 
Phito  at  their  head,  he  behaved  to  them  with  a 
;  negflecl  and  COl  -hey 

lifted 


i  -         THE  HISTORY  OF  THE       Per,  I. 

perfifted  in  refilling  to  acknowledge  bis  divinity; 
and  it  was  with  great  difficulty  that  Agrippa  him- 
felf,  who  had  returned  to  Rome,  had  been  able  to 
[often  his  refentment  againil  the  whole  Jewifh  na- 
tion ;  and  the  efFecl:  of  his  interpofition  was  not 
lading.  It  is  probable  that  his  death  only  faved 
them  from  hh  utmoft  vengeance.  Claudius,  how- 
ever, reverfed  what  Caligula  had  done,  and  reilor- 
ed  the  Jews  of  Alexandria  to  their  former  privi- 
es. 

About  the  fame  time  the  Greeks  and  Syrians 
in  conjunction  deftroyed  more  than  fifty  thoufand 
Jews,  in  Seleucia  and  its  neighbourhood,  occafi- 
cned  originally  by  a  Jewifh  governor  of  the  pro- 
vince having  rendered  himfeif  odious  to  the  inha- 
bitants. 

The  difiurbanccs  in  Judea  itfelf,  began  under 
the  admini ilration  of  Cumanus,  a.  d.  49.  by  a 
Roman  foidicr,  at  the  feaft  of  pa  Mover,  fhewing, 
hy  a  very  indecent  attitude,  bis  contempt  of  the 
lews,  and  their  religion.  This  provoked  the  po- 
pulace to  revenge  themfelvcs  by  throwing  fiones, 
and  tnfulting  the  governor.  But  when  he  lent  for 
the  troops  that  were  ftationed  in  the  town,  the  peo- 
ple, not  being  prepared  to  encounter  thirr,  ilcd  ; 
and  in  the  confufion  preffed  upon  one  another  in 
Kich  a  manner,  that  twenty  thoufand  of  them  are 
d  en  this  occafions 

I 


Sec.  VII.     CHRISTIAN  CHURCH.       i  j  > 

.  the  government  o^  this    Cumanus,    * 
San  I  t!ic   Galileans  in  their  pad 

thr  ircotlHtry  to  Jerufalem,  on  one  oi  th 

pubhc  I  :    and  -)n  this  or:,:.;:  >  :    •>.■»;.'  of  tne 

Jews  were  killed,  cfpecially  as  the 
the  p^rt  of  the  Samiritans.      However,  at   I 
terceffion  of  Agrippa,  juftice  was  done  ia  the  J 
at  this  time,  and  Cumanus  was  lent  into  bamfhment* 
Then  it  was  that  Felix  was    made  governor  of  the 
country. 

Under  the  adminiftration  of  Felix,  a.  d.  53, 
there  appeared  a  Jewilh  impoftor  from  Ejgypt,  who, 
being  followed  by  a  multitude  of  people,  advanc- 
ed as  far  as  the  mount  of  Olives ;  he  promifing  that 
they  would  fee  the  walls  of  the  city  fall  down  be- 
fore them-  Felix,  however,  marched  out  againfl 
them,  and  prefently  difperled  them,  killing  about 
four  hundred,  and  taking  two  hundred  of  them 
priloners;  but  their  leader  made  his  efcape.  It 
was  this  Egyptian  that  Lyiias  fuppofed  Paul  to 
have  been.  About  the  fame  time  other  impoftors 
appeared  in  the  wildernefs,  or  the  mountainous 
and  lefs  populous  parts  of  the  country,  deceiving 
the  people  by  their  magnificent  promifes;  but 
they  were  foon  fupprefled,  and  great  numbers  of 
them  were  crucified. 

Felix, 


i44        THEHITORY   OF  THE       Per.  L 

Felix,  having  been  guilty  of  many  exceffes,  was 
frequently  admonifhed  by  Jonathan  the  high- prieft  ; 
till  at  length,  provoked  at  his  freedom,  he  got  him 
to  be  aflaiTinatcd   by  fome  of  the   robbers,    with 
whom  the  country  at  that  time  (warmed,    and  who 
from  carrying  about  them  fhort  daggers    (in  Latin 
fica)  were  by   the   Romans    called  ficarii.     The 
character  of  thefe  men  was  a    flrange    mixture   of 
barbarity  and  religion.     They  fhewed   great    zeal 
for  the  law  and  the  tempk;  and   exclaiming  every 
where  againft  the  Roman  government,  and    being 
men  of  defperate  fortunes,   they   were  perpetually 
urging  the  people  to  revolt,     Feftus,  who  fucceed- 
ed  Felix,  a.  d.  56,  found  the  country  full  of  thefe 
banditti,  and,  like  Felix,  he  alfo  fuppreffed   an  in- 
furreclion  headed  by  an  im  potior,  who  had  drawn 
after  him  a  great  number   into  the    wildernefs    by 
vain  promifes  of  deliverance  from  their  fervitude, 
Thus   was   our   Saviour's    prediction   concerning 
falfe  chrifls  and  falfe   prophets*   remarkably  veii« 
fied. 

The  farther  and  more  ferious  calamities  of  the 
Jews  weie  preceded  by  a  very  extraordinary  cir- 
cumftance,  though  perhaps  not  of  a  miraculous 
nature.  One  Jefus,  the  (on  of  Ananus,  coming 
fromjthe  country,  began  to  cry  in  the  temple.  "  A 
"   voice  from  the  ea(l,  a    voice    from    the    weft,  a 

voice 
*  Matt.  xxiv.   11. 


Sec.  X.       .CHRISTIAN  CHURCH.         M5 

u  voice  from  the  four  winds,  a  voice    a  pain  ft   Jrru- 
"  falem,  and  againfl  the  temple,  Sec."     Whatever 
was  faid  or  done  to  this  man,  he  continued  to  baul 
out  in  this  manner,  with    little  variation.      When 
he  was  cruelly   fcourged  by  order  of   Albinus   the 
governor,  he  kept  crying,  as  if  he  had  felt   nothing 
for  himfelf,  "  Woe  to  ferufalem/'  &c.      This    he 
continued  to  practice  with  little  interruption  during 
the  fpace  of  feven  year*  and  five  months.     When 
the  city  was  bcfieged,  he  kept  repeating  his  lamen- 
table prognoft  ic,  "  Woe  to  Jerufalem,    woe  to  the 
"  temple,  woe  to  the  people  ;"  and  laftly,  what  he 
was  not  obferved  ever  to  have  faid   before,  "   Woe 
tomyfelf;"  when   immediately  a   ftone  from  one 
of  the  Roman  engines  dafhed  him  to  pieces* 

Other  things  called  prodigies  are  faid  to  have 
happened  previous  to  the  war,  mofi  of  them  pro- 
bably imaginary,  or  fabulous.  Among  others  it 
is  faid  that  the  eaftern  gate  of  the  temple,  which  was 
of  brafs,  and  fo  heavy  that  twenty  men  could  bare- 
ly move  it,  opened  of  itfclf  in  the  night;  and  that 
at  the  feaft  of  Penrecoft,  while  the  priefts  were  per- 
forming  their  fjnetions,  they  firft  heard  a  rufhing 
noife,  and  then  a  dittand  voice,  faying,  "  Let  us  or> 
"  hencet." 

The  year  after  this,  viz.  a.  d.  66,   the    g^verm 
mer.r  of  Florus  being  iniupportable,  and  the  fews 
Vol>   I*  T  #5ining 

*Jofcphusde  Bello  Jud    Li^    vii,  Cap,  12.    f  Ibid. 


146        THEHITORY   OF  THE       Per.  I. 

obtaining  no  redrefs  by  their  application  to  Ceftius 
Gallus  the  governor  of  Syria  (to  which  Judea 
was  a  fubordinate  province)  broke  out  intosopen  re- 
bellion, Agrippa  did  every  thing  in  his  power  to 
difurade  them  from  fo  fatal  a  refolution ;  but  mak- 
ing no  impremon  upon  them,  he  thought  proper 
to  quit  Jerufalem.  The  firfl  effect  of  their  unbri- 
dled refentment  was  feizing  the  fortrefsof  Maflada, 
and  killing  all  the  Romans  they  iound  there.  Af- 
ter this  Eleazar,  a  headflrong  young  man,  fon  of 
the  high  pried  Ananus,  and  captain  of  the  temple, 
perfuaded  the  people  not  to  receive  the  ufual  of- 
ferings in  the  name  of  the  emperor.  They  then 
attacked  the  iortrefs  of  Antonia,  which  was  near 
the  temple;  and  when  they  had  taken  it,  they  put 
to  death  all  the  Romans  they  found  in  it.  The 
chief  ador  in  this  fcene  of  butchery  was  Menahem, 
the  fon  of  Judas  of  Galilee,  mentioned  above. 

About  the  fame  time  that  tbefe  things  were 
t ran  fading  at  Jerufalem,  there  was  an  infurreclion 
of  the  inhabitants  of  Casfarca  again  ft  the  Jews 
of  that  place  ;  and  Flams  taking  an  aQive  part  a- 
gainfl  the  Jews,  more  than  twenty  thoufand  of 
them  were  killed,  and  the  reft  enflaverl.  This 
roafFacre  at  "Caefarca  fo  provoked  the  Jew*,  that, 
with  great  rage,  they  rofe  in  arms  in  all  r/afts  of  the 
country,;  and  attacking  every  place  in  which  tl 
were  any  Romans,  they    made    great    dcflru&ion 

among 


Sec.  X.         CHRISTIAN  CHURCH.      1 17 

among  them,  burning   fevcral   towns,  and    killing 
many  people.     But  thefe  barbarities  werefi 
ictorted  by   the  Syrians,  and   others,    againil 

jews,  who  weie  not  provided  for  any  regular  at- 
tack or  defence  of   any  place,   fo    that    the    whole 
country  was  lull  of  (laughter    and    confufion.      At 
Scythopolis  more  than  thirteen  thoufand  Jew 
killed  ;  at   Afcalon  and  Ptolemais    two    thoufand 
in  each,  with  many  at  Tyre.  At  Alexandria,  w] 
they  had  fufFered  fo  much  before,  more  than   Gfty 
thoufand  were  now  flain.      All  this,   however  was, 
on-y  the  beginning  of  for  rows  to  this    devoted  na- 
tion. 

Ceftius  Gallus,  feeing  the   Jews    every   where 
in  arms,  thought  it  high  time  for  him  to  interpofe, 
and  endeavour  to  queil  the   revolt.      He  therefore 
took  one  legion  with    his    auxiliaries,   and    being 
conducted  by'Agrippa,  he  came   fi ill    to    Jopptf, 
which  he  took,  and  burned,  killing  all  the  Jews  in 
it,  to  the  number  of  eight  thoufand  and  lour   h 
dred,  whilfl   his  Lieutenant    Gallus,    in    Galilee, 
killed  more  than  two  thoufand.      But  Cell 
vancing  to  Jerufalem  at  the  feaft  of  tabernacles-, 
inhabitants  marched  out  againft  him  in  inch  num- 
bers, that  though  they  fought  with  little  or  no  dis- 
cipline, they  gained  a  conhderable  advantage  over 
him,  kiting    live  hundred  and  fifteen  c 
with  very  little  lofs  on    their  6de. 

tVithoue 


148       THE  HISTORY  OF  THE       Per.  I. 

Without  being  difcouraged  by  this  repulfe 
Ceilius  advanced  to  the  city,  and  took  poffeflion  of 
what  was  called  Bezetha,  or  the  new  town,  which 
was  but  flighrly  fortified  ;  and  it  was  not  doubted 
by  Jofephus,  but  that  if  he  had  pufhed  the  affaulr, 
he  might  at  that  time  have  made  himfelf  matter  of 
the  place  ;  but  without  any  apparent  reafon  he  re- 
tired, and  the  Jews  purfuing  him  to  Antipatris, 
killed  five  thoufand  three  hundred  of  his  infantry, 
and  nine  hundred  and  eighty  of  his  cavalry.  They 
alfo  took  his  baggage,  and  his  military  engines,  of 
which  they  made  great  ufe  in  the  defence  of  the 
city  afterwards.  This  action  happened  on  the 
eighth  of  November  in  the  tenth  year  of  Nero, 
a.  d.66  and  the  advantage  which  the  Jews  gain- 
ed in  it  greatly  encouraged  them  to  perh ft  in  the 
war,  notwithstanding  the  dreadful  loffes  they  fuf- 
tained  on  all  other  occasions*.  At  Damafcus,  a- 
bout  this  time,  ten  thoufand  of  them  were  deftroy- 
ed  by  the  other  inhabitants. 

At  Jerufalem,  the  Jews  finding  themfelves 
engaged  in  a  ferious  a  to  proceed    with 

fori!     more  regularity,  end  appointed    three  com- 

.ders  in  chief,  Joieph    ths  fon  of    Gorion,  A- 

.    us  the  fon  of   another   Goner   who  had   been 

high-prieft,  and  Jofeph  the  hiitorian,  who  had  the 

command  in  Galilee.     At  Jerufalem,  Ananus  had 

much 
f  Jofephus  de  Bello  Jud.  Lib.  ii,  Cap  21. 


Src.  X.        CHRISTIAN  CHURCH.       j19 

much  trouble  with  the  feditious  Sicarii,  and  endea- 
voured to  apprehend  Simon  the  fon  of  Gioras, 
who  was  at  the  head  of  a  great  party  of  them, 
plundering  the  country,  but  he  efcaped  to  Maf- 
fada. 

At  the  breaking  out  of  this  war,  Nero  was  in 
Achaia,  and  being  diifttisfied  with  the  conduct  of 
Ceftius,  he  gave  the  command  to  VefpaGan,  who 
fent  his  fon  Titus  to  Alexandria,  to  bring  fome  le- 
gions which  were  Rationed  there,  while  he  advanc- 
ed to  Syria.  This  was  the  fituation  of  things  at 
the  end  of  the  year  66. 

At  the  beginning  of  the  next  year,  Titus  joined 
his  father  at  Ptolemais,  and  then  the  whole  Roman 
army,  including  auxiliaries,  amounted  to  fixty 
thoufand.  The  only  considerable  reuftance  that 
Vefpafian  met  with  was  at  Jotapata,  where  Jofe- 
phus  commanded  ;  but  after  forty  days  the  place 
was  taken  and  deflroyed,  and  Jofephus,  who  had 
efcaped,  foon  after  furrendered  to  the  Romans. 
In  the  courfe  of  this  year  Vefpafian  and  his  fon 
made  tbernfelves  mailers  of  all  Galilee,  felling  the 
inhabitants  for  Haves.  T.ut  John  the  fon  of  Levi 
who  commanded  the  feditious  Sicarii  in  that  part 
of  the  country,  and  who  had  been  very  troub 
fome  to  Jofephus,  made  his  efcape  to    Jerufah 

At  thij>  time  many  of  the  elderly  people    were 
for  peace,  but  they   wer?  notable  to  re  11  rain  the 

v; 


a5o       THE  HISTORY  OF  THE      Per.  I. 

violence  of  the  reft  ;  and  the    Sicarii  getting  into 
the   city,    mafTacred   without   mercy   whom    they 
pleafed,  in    order   to    pofTefs   themfelves   of    their 
wealth,  efpeciaily  on  the  pretence    of  their    being 
ior  peace  with  the  Romans,  and    forming  defigns 
to  deliver  up    the   city.    John,    who   at  firfl  had 
taken  part  with  Ananus,  who   commanded   in  the 
town,  foon  joined  thefe  Sicarii,  and  kept  poffeffion 
of  the  temple  againft  him.    Not  finding  themfelves 
111  on g  enough,  they  got  twenty  thoufand  Idumeans 
introduced  into  the  town  ;  and  then  breaking   out 
upon  the  inhabitants,  they    killed    the  next   day 
eight  thoufand  five  hundred  perfons,   and    among 
the  reft  Ananus  himfelf.     The  havock  they   made 
in  the  city  was  fo  great,  that  twelve  thoufand  per- 
fons were  left  by  them   unburied.      At  length  the 
Idumeans  were  fhocked  with  the  conduct  of  their 
affociates,  and  left  the  city. 

While  the  jews  at  jcrufalem  were  thus  madly 
employed  in  deflroving  one  another,  Vefpafian 
perceiving  hew  much  this  Was  to  his  advantage, 
refrained  from 'making  any  attempt  upon  the  place, 
but  pofTcffed  binajfelf  of  all  the  country  /except  the 
cafUe  of  Macheron.  On  the  death  of  Nero,  the 
troops  of  Vefpafian  fainted  him  emperor,  and  the 
command  pi  the  army  devolved  upon  his  ion 
Titus, 

It 


Sec.  X.  CHRISTIAN    CHURCH       ic% 

It  was  in  the  interval  between  the  retreat  of 
Ccltius  and  the  approacli  of  Titus,  that  the  chrifli- 
,  in  the  city  and  county,  warned  by  the  prophe- 
cies of  our  Saviour,  and,  as  Eufebius  moreover 
fays*,  by  perfons  divinely  infpired,  all  iled  into 
the  dominions  of  Agrippa,  beyond  the  fea  of  Ga- 
lilee, redding  chiefly  in  the  city  of  Pelta',  and  its 
neighbourhood.  There  they  continued  feveral 
centuries,  though  gradually  diminifhed  in  numbers, 
till  at  tengfrh  they  became  extinct.  Many  of  them, 
however,  returned  after  the  war,  and  continued  at 
Jerufalem  till  the  time  of  Adrian. 

Before  the  approach  of  Titus,  the  Jews  had 
been  far  (torn  making  any  advantage  of  the  abfence 
of  their  enemies.  On  the  contrary,  they  had  been 
doing  themfelves  infinite  mifchiel  by  their  divificns ; 
fo  that  at  his  approach  there  wqtq  three  hoflile  fac- 
tions in  the  place.  The  interior  part  of  the  tem- 
ple was  held  by  Eleazar,  whofe  partifans  were  not 
numerous,  but  they  were  the  bed  foTtifted.  John 
was  in  the  outer  part  of  the  temple,  and  Simbn  the 
fen  of  Gioras  commanded  in  the  town  at  large. 
This  Sinlon  had  been  ravaging  the  tfounl  .  and 
had  been  let  into  the  city  by  the  people  to  oppofe 
John,  whofe  followers  were  guilty  of  the  greateft 
exceiles,  and  who,  it  was  feared,  would  even  let  fire 
tj  the  city. 

In 
Lib,,  iii.  Cap,  5.V  • 


152         THE  HISTORY  OF  THE       Per.  I, 

In  the  daily  ftruggle  between  thefe  fa&ions  all 
the  (lores  of  provifions  in  the  place,  which  might 
have  fufficed  for  along  fiege,  were  wontonly  d  ef« 
troyed  ;  and  the  temple  idelf  was  often  full  of 
blood  and  dead  bodies.  At  length  Eleazar,  ad- 
mitting the  followers  of  John  to  worfhip  in  the 
temple,  was  overpowered  and  flain  by  fome  ot 
them  who  had  arms  concealed  under  their  gar- 
ments, fo  that  all  the  Sicarii  were  then  under  John, 
whofe  armed  followers  were  eight  thoufand  and 
four  hundred,  while  thofe  of  Simon,  who  held  the 
city,  were  ten  thoufand  befides  five  thoufand 
Idumeans,  Thefe  parties,  though  fo  hoflile 
to  each  other,  always  united  againfl  the  Ro- 
mans. 

Titus  brought  with  him  four  leigions  befides 
auxiliary  troops,  and  arrived  a  fhort  time  before  the 
paiTover,  fo  that  the  city  was  full  ol  people,  who 
foon  con  fumed  what  provifions  were  in  it ;  and  the 
confequcnce  of  this  was  extreme  famine,  and  its 
conflant  attendant  pefiiiencc.  On  the  paffover 
preceding,  an  eftimate  had  been  made  of  the  people 
who  reforted  to  Jerufalem,  by  counting  the  num- 
ber of  lambs  that  were  killed  for  thepurpofe  ;  from 
which  it  was  computed  that  they  did  not  amount 
tolefs  than  two  millions  five  hundred  and  fifty. fix 
thoufand  ;  but  it  cannot  be  fuppofed  that  the  city 
contained  half  this  number    whm  it   was  actually 

believed 


Sec.  X.        CHRISTIAN  CHURCH.         i53 

beGeged,  efpecially  as  thearrivaj  of  Titus  was  a  lit- 
tle before  the  paifovcr.  For  iho'  great  numbers 
would  crowd  in,  rcgardlefs  of  all  confequences, 
many,  no  doubt,  would  be  deterred  from  entering 
in  thofe  circum fiances. 

The  greateft  part  of   the  diflrefs  of  the    Jews 
in  this  mod  memorable  fiege  arofe  not  from   their 
enemies,  but  from  themfelves.     Titus  having  foon 
made  himfelf  mailer  of  every  thing  to  the  north  of 
the  tower  of  Antonia,  which  was  not  far  from  the" 
temple,  endeavoured  by  all  gentle  methods  to  bring 
the  inhabitants  terms,    and  gave  leave   to  all  who 
chofe  it  to  leave  the  place,  but  this  was  prevented 
by    the   leaders    of    [he    factions.       Jofephus   by 
order  of  Titus  addrefled  the  people  in  a  long  and 
affectionate  fpeech,  but  this  alfo  produced  no  ef- 
fecl.      What  the  people  fullered  from  the  attacks 
of  the   Romans  was  very  inconfiderable,  notwieh- 
Handing  they  employed  all  their  ufual  methods  of 
aiTauIt,  fuch  as  battering   rams,    baliflae,   and  the 
like;  but  the  dreadful  effects  of  famine  were   foon 
felt  in  the.  extreme.      A  woman  of  fome  rank,  and 
in  good  circumflances,  was  found  eating  hei  own 
child,  a  thing  to  which  the  jews  would  have  much 
greater  atverfion  than  any   Other   people.     Thou- 
fands  would,  no  doubt,  chufe  to  languish   and  did 
rather  than  have  recouife  to  fo  horrible  a  method  of 
prolonging  their  lives  ;   and  yet  this  cannot  be  fup- 
pofed  to  have  been  the  only  inftinCe  of  the  kind. 
Vol,  l.  V  The 


i54       THE  HISTORY  OF  THE       Per.  I. 

The  followers  of  John  and  Simon  were  guilty 
of  the  mod  fiiocking  cruelties  in  order  to  fecure 
provihons  for  themfelves,  torturing  and  patting  to 
death  without  mercy  ;  and  yet,  notwithftanding 
this  refource,  the  men  in  arms  were  obliged  to  go 
without  the  walls  to^feavch  for  whatever  they  could 
find  that  was  eatable.  Thefe  Titus,  when  he  could 
fei.ze  them,  crucified,  fometimes  five  hundred  in  a 
day,,  fo  that  at  length  the)  could  not  find  wood 
for  erodes,  or  room  to  cite!  them.  Some  of  them 
Titus  fent  back  with  their  hands  cut  off,  and 
otherwife  maimed  ;  but  this  had  no  effecl  whate? 
ver  on  thofe  within  the  city. 

Titus,  perceiving  that  all  his  attempts  to  reduce 
the  place  by  force  were  in  vain,  fuch  was  the 
flrength  of  the  walls,  and  the  defperate  courage  of 
thofe  who  defended  them,  and  knowing  that  the  ia- 
mine  would  in  time  do  the  bufmefs  for  him,  at 
length  endeavoured  to  quicken  the  eff  els  of  it  by 
making  a  v\~ai  of ' circumvallation,  as  it  was  termed, 
quite  round  the  place;  and  thereby  prevent  any 
from  going  in;o,  or  coming  out  of  it.  This  occa- 
fioned  a  dreadful  increafe  of  the  mortality  withm 
the  city  ;  fo  that  the  living  not  being  able  to  bury 
the  dead,  contented  themfelves  with  throwing  ih,  in 
over  the  walls.  Titus  feeing  the  di'ch  full  of  dead 
bodies  was  fo  much  affecled  with  it,  that  it  is  I 
he  liited  up  his  hands  to  heaven,  and  called  G  A 
to  witnefs  that  this  was  not  owing  to  him. 

Netwiih- 


Sec.  X.       CHRISTIAN  CHURCH. 

Notwithstanding    ihc  care   that  was    lakcn 
prevent    ny  perlons  BfcapiQg  to  the  enemy.  b< 
the  building  of  the  wall    of  circ  .nion,  in. 

did  get  out,  and  the  humanity  of  the  Romans  , 
ccivcdthcm  ;  but  fome  of  them  being  obferved  to 
ex  .mini;  their  excrements,  in  order  to  pick  out  of 
them  the  money,  jewels,  &C.  which  (having  no  b- 
t\u  method  of  concealing)  they  had  fwa! lowed, 
the  Arabians  and  Syrians  in  the  army  privately 
killed  great  numbers  of  them,  in  hopes  ot  finding 
treasure.  In  one  night  two  thoufand  were  found 
difpatched  lor  this  purpofc;  and  though  Titus, on 
difcovering  it,  threatened  to  punifli  fuch  enormi- 
ties with  death,  it  did  not  prevent  many  murders 
being  (lill  committed  with  this  view. 

While  the  poor  were  carried  out  at  the  gates,  to 
be  buried  at  the  public  expencc,  a  defcrrer  told  Ti- 
tus, that  at  one  of  the  gates  where  he  was  Rationed, 
there  were  carried  out  one  bundled  and  fifteen 
thoufand  eight  hundred  and  eighty,  between  ; 
fourteenth  of  April,  when  the  fiege  commenced, 
and  the  fir  ft  of  July.  Another  faid  thai  t]a<  )  |iad 
carried  out  at  all  the  gates  hx  hundred  thonfand, 
and  that  then  being  unable  to  carry  them  all  cut, 
they  had  filled  whole  homes  with  them,  and  (hut 
them  up. 

.  the  feyeni;eenth  cf  Inly,  Titus  took  the  ci- 
ofj    .  •    confequently  apj 

the 

I 


*56         THE  HISTORY  OFTHE       p£R.  I4 

difcontinued  for  want  of  vi&ims.      On   the    eighth 
cf  Au null  the  Romans,  not    beins[  able  to  make 
any  impreflion  upon  the  fecond    inelofuie  of  the 
temple,  fet  fire  to  the  gates,  which  foon  extended 
itfelfto  the  galleries,  and  continued  to  rage  the  re- 
mainder of  that  day   and    the    following  night,   fo 
that  they  were  now  in   pofleffion   of   the    outward 
court,  in  which  was    the  altar  cf    burnt    offering, 
Titus  would  ftiil  havefaved  the  body  of  the  temple, 
confiding  of  the  holy  and  moft  holy  places  ;    but 
a  foldier  fecting  fire  to  a  building  that    was  conti- 
guous to  it,  this  alfo  took  fire  and  notwithftandng, 
the  endeavours  of  Titus  to  prevent  it,  was   burned 
to  the  ground.  This  was  on  the  tenth  of  the  month 
Ab,   the  fifth   month  from  the]  paflbver  in  Milan, 
and  as  Jofephus  fays,  on  the  fame  day  of  the  year 
on  which  it  had  been  burned  in  the  lime  ol  Nebu- 
chadnezzar'*, 

There  perifhed  in  and  about  the  temple  fix 
thou  fa  nd  men,  wemen,  and  children,  deceived  by 
a  prophecy,  which  promifed  them  fome  extiaoidi- 
nary  appearance  in  their  favcur.  There  were  fe- 
veralofthefe  falfe  prophets,  who  perpetually  de- 
ceived the  people,  and  prevented  many  frcm  r 
over  to  the  Romans. 

Titus  was  now  completely  mafte$  of  the  place, 
and  rs  foon  aspcfuble  he  put  :  n  end  to  the  flai 
er  ;   John  and  Simon,  who  Lad  furrendered,  Icing 


cU  rved 


J\  Itlh  Jic7::cc  Lil  .  \ii.Cap.  10. 


Skfc;  X.  CHRISTIAN   CHURCH 

refervedto  grace  his  triumph.      Ii    was    i    pp 
that  one  million  one    hundr.  I 
peop^  per  ihed  in    thfs    fiege,   and   ninet) 
thoufand  were  expofed  to  fale,  but  at  le 
could  find  no  purchafers. 

On  the    birth  gay    of   his   brother    D 
more  than  two   thou fand  five  hundred     Jews   w 
mafTacred,  fome  by  fire,  fome  by  wild    t      fl      and 
others  as  gladiato/s.     A    oreat    number 
deflroyed  at  fome  games  which  Titus  exhibited  at 
Berjtus,  on  the  celebration  of  his   father's  accci:. 
to  the  empire.      At   his    own    triumph,     John  and 
Simon  with  feven  hundred  Jews,  were  led  in  pro- 
ion,  after  which  Simon  was  put  to    death,    and 
probably  John  alfo.      In  this  triumph  the  golden 
candleilick  with  (even  branches,  the  Time  probably 
ich  ha  \  been  carried  to  Babylon  by  Ncbachad- 
zar-  and   refloredlby    Cyrus,   wiih    other  holy 
vcflcls,  wfcre  publicly  exhibited  j  and  the  figures  of 
ibemmaj  dill  be  perceived  dn  the   triumphal  ai 
which  was  creeled  on  this  occalion  at  Ron 

The  entire  conqueftof  the   country    was  com- 
pleted  by  Titus's  lieutenants  ;  the  lift   place  that 
held  out  bein^  the  fortrefs  of  M 
deemed  to    be    impre   •  There  I 

grand  Ton   oi   Judas  of  Qalilee,  coi  d;   but 

feeing  no  means  of  efcape*  be  ad vifca 
ers  to  dit  by  tl  -  ;i'  own  bar.     ,  i  than    furren- 

der  to  the  Romans;     This  advice  they  tcck; 


158       THE  HISTORY  OF  THE      Per,  I. 

h  ving  firft  killed  their  wives  and  children,  they 
difpatched  one  another,  to  the  number  of  fix  hun- 
f  \i.d  t~:\d  mne'v.  Tins  was  the  fifteenth  oi  April, 
A  a  73.  (even  yens  after  the  commcucement  of 
the  war*, 

Aker  the  reduction  of  judea,  the  Sicarii  (till 
created  difturb  aires  in  Egypt  and  Gyrene,  where 
one  Jonathan  induced  many  to  follow  him  into  the 
defcrt,  by  the  promife  of  performing  miracles  ;  but 
he  was  foon  overpowered  by  the  governor  of  the 
province,  carried  to  Rome,  and  burned  alive. 
Three  thoufand  were  malTacred  on  this  occafion, 
and  it  is  computed  that  there  perifhed  in  the  whole 
of  this  fatal  war  one  million  three  hundred  and 
thirty -feven  thoufand  four  hundred  and  ninety,  be- 
sides many  of  whom  no  account  could  be  collected. 

Such  was  the  dreadful  ilTue  of  this  war  termi- 
nating in  the  utter  downfal  of  the  jewifh  flate  and 
nation,  from  which  it  has  never  recovered  to  this 
day,  involving  in  it  the  deflruction  of  the  temple 
and  the  difecntinuanceof  the  fervices  annexed  to 
it.  The  defolation  of  the  country  itfelf  went  on 
increafcng,  till,  from  being,  for  tt's  fize.  one  of 
the  moil  fertile  and  populous  countries  in  the  world, 
it  is  now  the  mod  barren  and  defclate,  fifty  thou- 
fand  being  the  Jateft  computation  of  the  number  of 
all  its  mhabiUntct. 

All 
Bello  Judalpo,  Lib.  vii.  Cay.  23. 
3  his  is  the  computation  of  Volney,  but  travellers 


Sec.  X.         CHRISTIAN  CHURCH.      tM 

All  the  Je  calamities  were,  no  doubt,  accomplifli. 
cd  by  natural    caules.  and    therefore  might    i. 
been  expe6ted  from  a  thorough   knowledge  of  the 
temper ol  the  inhabitants,  their  rrhact)ry  difooftti- 
on   tbiyards   the  Romans,    their    tactions    am 
them felves,  and  their  abfurcl  confidence  in  fup  r« 
natural  aiiiltancv,  joined  to    a  knowledge  of  their 
real    vpeaknefs,    compared    with   the    overbearing 
power  of  the  Roman    empire.      But    who   befi 
the  Supreme    Being  could  have  forefeen  all  thefe 
circumitances,  or  have   known   that  the  operati  m 
of  them  would  have  led  to  this  precife  cataftrophe, 
when  the  rebellion  might  have  terminated  in  many 
other  ways,    and  not    in  fuch  a   total  ruin  of  the 
country,  and  difpeifion  of  its   inhabitants.      The 
divine  foreiight    is   therefore   confpicuous   in  our 
Saviour's  clear  prediction  of  thefe  events,  with  all 
their  capita!  circumftances,  which  every  reader  of 
this  narrative  muft  perceive,  when  it    does  not  ap- 
pear that  any  other  pei  Ton  had  the  leaft   apprehen- 
fion  of  fuch  a  thing.      The  Jews  now  lay,  that  o;:r 
Saviour    found   all  that  he    foretold  in    the  pro- 
phecies  of    Daniel  ;    but  why   did    net  their  d 
fprtbes,  theprofeffed  interpreters  o{  the  law  and  the 
pro;  ifad  the  leading  menof  their  own  nati 

difcover  the  lame  i  n  that  book  ? 

with  whom  I  have  converted,  and  on  whom  I  can  de- 
pend, fay  that  theji  m  '■-'":  raojre  than  ■  ma- 
ker. 


,Co        THE  HISTORY  OF  THE     Per.  I. 

The  jufticfe  and  wifdom  of  the  Supreme  Being 
are  equally  confoicuous  in  this  great  event.  A  par- 
ticular providence  had  ever  attended  that  people. 
They  had  always  flourilhed  while  they  were   obe- 
dient  to    God   and  his   prophets,  and  calamity  of 
ibme  kind  or  other  had  been  the  never  failing  con- 
feqnence  of  their  difobedience  ;  and  never  had  the 
nation    in  general  fhewn  a  more  perverfe  and  ob- 
ftinate  difpofition  towards  any  prophets,  than  they 
did  with  refpeQ  to  Chrift  and  the  apoftles,  though 
no  prophets  had  ever  been  fent  to  them  with  more 
evident  marks  of  a  divine  million.      Their  invete- 
racy to  chriftianity  continues  in  a  great  meafure  to 
this  day,  and  fo  does  their  difpeifion,  though  they 
are  [till  a  diftincl  people,  and  never  rn%    To  as  to 
be  confounded, with  any  of  the  nations  among  whom 
they  are  fettled.     But  we  may  hope  'that  the  time 
is  approaching  when  their  unbelief  in  chriftianity 
and  their  calamities  will  both  ceafe.     A  better  dif- 
pofition  is  already  in    fome  meafure   apparent  in 
them,  and  the  treatment  they  meet  with  from'  other 
nations  is  alfo  better  than  it  has  been.      May  God 
haften  the  time  when  this  his  favoured  people  (hall, 
by  their  repentance  and  conversion  to  chriflianity, 
recover  the  place  they  formerly  had  in  his   favour, 
and  in  oonfequence  of  it  be  reftored  to  their  coun- 
try, and  be  to  the  end  of  the  woild  what  prophecy 
allures  us  they  will  be,  the  moft  diflinguiihed  na- 
tion upon  earth, 

We 


Sec.  X.        CHRISTIAN  CHURCH.         160 

We  may  naturally  lament  this  inveterate  ob- 
Itinacy  in  the  great  body  of  the  Jews,  and  their 
rancorous  oppofition  to  chriftianity,  at  the  pro- 
mulgation of  it  ;  but  we  may  eafily  perceive  that 
it  was  calculated  to  have  the  happiefl  effect  with 
refpect  to  the  evidence,  and  confequently  the  moral 
influence,  of  chriftianity,  and  with  that  the  happi- 
nefs  ot  all  mankind  in  future  time.  It  will  now 
be  forever  unqueftioned,  that  the  rulers  of  the  Jew- 
ifh  nation,  in  which  chriftianity  rofe,  were  by  no 
means  favourable  to  it,  and  that  the  Jewifli  fcrip- 
tures  (the  authenticity  of  which  is  fuppofed  by  the 
writers  of  the  New  Teftament,  and  of  which  they 
availed  themfelves  in  proving  the  mefliahfhip  of 
Jefus)  were  no  forgeries  ot  theirs.  At  the  fame 
time  it  will  be  evident,  that  fo  many  thoufands  of 
this  obftinate  nation,  the  mod  attached  to  their 
own  laws,  and  fo  averfe  to  the  pretenQons  of  fuch 
a  meftiah  as  Jefus  was,  could  never  have  been 
brought  to  admit  his  claims,  and  become  his  difci- 
ples,  at  the  rifque  of  every  thing  dear  to  them  in 
life,  and  of  life  itfelf,  as  was  actually  the  cafe, 
without  the  mod  fatisfa&ory  evidence.  This  will 
alfo  appear  to  have  been  the  cafe  while  the  fa&s 
v/cre  recent,  while  both  the  f  iends  and  the  enemies 
of  chriftianity  had  the  beft  opportunity,  and  the 
ftrongeft  motives,  to  examine  them  with  the  greafe- 
eft  rigour. 

Vol.  I.  V  S   E   C- 


i62       THE  HISTORY  OP  THE     Per.  I. 


SECTION  XI. 

Gcnerai  Ohfervations  en  the  Doilrine  and  Difciplint 
of  the  Chrijlian  Church  at  this  Period. 


I 


T  is  mofi;  evident,   from  the  Acls  of  the 
Apoilles,  the  hiiloiy  of  which  extends  through  aU 
moil  the  whole  of  the  period,  the  events  of  which 
we  have  been  reviewing,  that  no  doclrine  had  been 
advanced  by  the   apoflles,  and   firft   preachers  of 
chriftianity,  that  gave  offence  to  the  Jews,  befides 
that  of  Jefus  being  the  Meffiah.  Had  there  been  any 
appearance  of  an  infringement  of  the  great  doctrine 
of  the  divine  unity,  to  which  the  Jews   were  then, 
and  (till  continue  to  be,  fo  much  attached,  by  the 
advancement  of  any  thing  approaching  to  the  doc- 
trine that  is  now  received  of  the  divinity  of  Chrift, 
it  could  not  but  have  excited  the  greateft  outcry 
imaginable  ;  as  it  did  afterwards,  when  that  doc- 
trine was  advanced,  and  as  it  continues  to  do  at  this 
very  day. 

As  all  the  Jews  expected  that  their  Meffiah 
would  be  a  mere  man,  the  natural  defcendant  cf 
David,  it  is  evident  that  the  apoilles,  and  other 
primitive  chriflians,  who  were  all  zealous  Jews, 
mull  have  received  him  as  fucb.     It  is  evident 

from 


Sec  XL       CHRISTIAN  CHURCH        163 

from  the  Gofpcls,  and  is  acknowledged  by  all 
chriflian  writers  of  the  four  firft  centuries,  that  the 
apoilles  confidered  him  in  no  other  light  during 
the  whole  of  their  intercourfe  with  him ;  having  no 
idea  of  his  being  God,  or  the  creator  of  the  world 
under  God.  It  is  no  Ms  evident  fcorri  tfce  Acls 
of  the  apoilles,  and  is  alfo  acknowledged  by  the 
fame  early  writers,  who  were  themfelves  liinirari- 
ans,  that  the  apoilles  announced  him  as  fuch  to 
their  nation  and  the  world,  viz.  as  nothing  more 
than  a  man  approved  of  God  by  Jigns  and  wonders 
which  God  did  by  him,  and  whom  God  had  railed 
from  the  dead.  And  that  they  had  an  y  private 
information  of  their  mailer  being  of  a  hioher 
rank  in  the  creation  than  themfelves,  but  that  they 
thought  it  prudent  to  ufe  great  referve  in  the  com- 
munication of  this  knowledge  to  others  (though 
fuch  ic  faid  to  have  been  their  conduct  by  the  an- 
cient trinitarian  writers  above  referred  to)  is  abfo- 
lately  incredible. 

Whenever  any  fuch  doclrine  as  that  of  Chrifl 
being  of  a  rarift  fuperiorto  that  of  man  had  been 
divulged,  fince  no  fuch  perfon  had  ever  been  fent 
to  the  Jews  before,  or  had  been  announced  by  any 
of  their  prophets  (as  they  themfelves  undeiRood 
their  writings)  to  be  fent  to  them  in  future,  and  as 
they  could  not  conceive  that  any  purpofe  of  divine 
providence  could  require  the  interpofition  of  fuch 
a  Being,  it  mud  have  excited  the  greateft  aftonifh- 


ment 


i64       THE  HISTORY  OF  THE       Per.  ft 

ment  poffible.     The  information   could    not    but 
have  been  received  with  great  doubt  and  hefitation 
by  thofe  who  might  have  admitted  it,  and   proba- 
bly with  abfolute  unbelief  by  many   others.     All 
this,  joined  to  the  offence  which  the  divulging  of 
fuch  a  do&iine    would   have  given  to  the  Jews, 
mufl  have  occafioned  fuch  a  difcuflion  of  the  quef- 
lion,  and   fuch  controverfies,   and  fchifms,  as  we 
could  not  but  have  heard  of.     The  do&rine  of  the 
divinity  of  Chrifl    is  the    objection    which   every 
]ew   now  makes  to  any  attempts  to  convert  him  to 
chriftianity,  and  hiflory  fhews  this  to  have  been  the 
cafe  from  the  time  that  it  was  generally  received  by 
chrifl  ians.     Yet  at  the  firfl  preaching  of  the  gofpel, 
thoufands  of  the  Jews    were  converted,    without 
ever  making  fuch  an  objection  ;  a  plain  proof  that 
there   was    then   no  ioundation  for    it,  by  fuch  a 
dodlrine  being  profeffed  by  any  cbriflians.   There 
is  not  the  lead  trace  of  any    controverfy  whatever 
concerning  the  divinity  or  pre  exiflence  of  Chrifl: 
in  all  the  Acls  of  the  apoflles,  or   in   any  of  the 
writings  of  the  apoflles,  though  they  treat  at  large 
of  fuch  topics  as  excited  the  mofl  attention  lor  al- 
almofl  forty  years  after    the   mft  promulgation  of 
chriftianity. 

It  is  apparent  from  all  thefe  writings,  that  the 
only  topic  of  difcuffion  with  the  unbelieving  Jews 
oi  that  age  was  the  Meffiahfhip  of  jefus ;  and  a- 
meng  chriftians,  the  only  articles  of  debate  were  the 

profelyting 


Sec.  XI.     CHRISTIAN  CHURCH.  16: 


j 


profelyting  of  Gentiles  to  chriftianity,  without  fub- 
je&rng  them  to  the  laws  of  Mofes,  and  die  noti- 
ons of  the  Gnoftics.  Thefe  were  confidered  as 
fubverting  the  fundamental  principles  of  chriftia- 
nity, becaufe  they  taught  that  it  was  not  Jesus  that 
was  properly  the  Christ,  or  that  he  had  not  flefh 
and  blood  like  other  men  ;  becaufe  they  denied  the 
do&rine  of  the  refurrecxion,  and  becaufe  their  prin- 
ciples gave  countenance,  as  it  was  thought  at  leaft, 
to  great  immoralities.  Thefe  therefore,  Paul,  Peter, 
Jude,  and  John,  mod  ftrenuoufly  oppofed.  But 
with  refpeft  to  the  du&rines  ol  the  divinity  and  pre- 
exiftence  of  Chrift,  which  have  engaged  the  atten- 
tion of  the  chriftian  world  from  about  the  middle 
of  the  fecond  century  to  the  prefent  time,  they  are 
abfolutely  filent,  and  all  that  can  be  pretended  is, 
that  they  incic'entally  mention,  or  allude  to  them. 
It  is  fomething  remarkable,  however,  that  the 
mofl  flrenuous  exertions  of  the  apoflles  were  not, 
in  either  of  thefe  cafes,  crowned  with  complete  Cue- 
cefs.  According  to  Juflin  Martyr,  many  of  the 
jewifh  chriftians  were  fo  much  attached  to  their 
peculiar  rites,  that  they  could  not  reconcile  them- 
felves  to  the  Gentile  chriftians,  who  h?.d  not  firft 
become  pro  felytes  to  Judaifm,  and  they  never  had 
much  efleem  for  the  apollle  Paul,  who  had  been 
the  great  advocate  for  the  liberty  of  the  GentiU 
churches,  and  made  no  ufe  of  his  writings.  It  can 
hardly  be  fuppofed,  however,  that  this  was  the  cafe 

with 


i63       THE  HISTORY  OF  THE      Per.  I. 

fome  offence  committed  in  that  (late  had  been  de- 
graded, and  confined  to  the  body  as  a  punifliment, 
it  had  been  the  great  do&rine  of  the  Eaftern  fages 
from  time  immemorial ;  and  fo  inchanting  is  the 
idea,  that  very  few  chriftians  in  proportion  can  e- 
ven  now  be  prevailed  upon  to  part  with  it,  and  to 
believe  with  Mwfes  that  man  was  made  of  the  dust 
of  the  ground,  or  wholly  of  what  is  called  matter, 
which  was  afterwards  made  to  breathe  and  live  5 
and  that  this  breath,  or  life,  which  is  common  to 
brute  animals  as  well  as  men,  is  the  higheft  fenfe  of 
that  word  in  the  fcriptures  which  we  render  soul. 

The  Gnoftics  alfo  fuppofed  that,  befides  thofe 
fpiritual  beings,  which  became  the  common  fouls 
of  men,  there  were  intelligences  of  a  higher  order, 
which  fprung  more  immediately,  and  by  way  of 
direct  emanation,  from  the  fupreme  mind  (for  hav- 
ing no  idea  of  the  creation  of  any  thing  cut  of  no- 
thing, every  thing  of  the  nature  of  mind  was  fup- 
pofed to  have  been  derived  ultimately  from  the  one 
felf-exifting  mind)  and  that  thefe  fuperior  intelli- 
gences defcended  occafionally  upon  earth,  either 
afTuming  the  lhadowy  forms  ofmen,  or  other  things, 
or  entering  into  men,  and  a8ing  upon  their  organs, 
as  demons  were  fuppofed  to  do  in  people  who  were 
infane. 

Thefe  were  the  fundamental  doctrines  of  the 
Gnoftics,  and  they  endeavoured  to  connect  them 
with  chriftianity,  by  fuppofing  that  Jclus  was  ei- 
ther 


i69       THE  HISTORY  OF  THE      P£R.  I. 

ther  himfelf  one  of  thofe  fuperior  intelligences,   in 
the  form  of  man,  but  without  real  flefh  and  blood, 
and  without  being    fubjeft  to  the  pains  and  infir- 
mities of  human  nature;  or  that    there    defcended 
into  the  man  Jefus,  one  of  thofe  Beings  of  a  high- 
er order,  and  that  it   was  this  great  Being,  and  not 
the  man  Jefus,  who  was  properly  the  Chrift,  and 
who  was  appointed  by  God  to  adf,   fo  important  a 
part  in  the  affairs  of  men. The  apoftles  they  confi- 
dered  as  judging  only  by  their  fenfes,  which  were 
deceived  in  this  cafe  ;  and  though  they  gave  entire 
credit  to  them  with  refpecl;  to  every    thing   which 
they  had  feen,  or  heard,  of  Jefus,  before,  and  after 
his  refurre&ion,  they  conGdered  them  as  plain  un- 
lettered men,  who  were  ignorant  of  what  was  not 
within  the  fphere  of  their  fenfes. 

As  to  the  doctrine  of  the  refurre&ion  of  the 
body,  which  they  profeffed  to  hold  in  great  con- 
tempt, as  a  mere  clog  to  the  immortal  foul,   they 
thought  that  nothing  was  meant  by  it,  but  either  a 
moral  change  in  the  minds  of  men,  which  took 
place  before  they  died  ;  or  that  it  lignified  the  af- 
cent  of  the  foul  to  its  proper  abode  in  the  fuperior 
regions,  when  it  was  difengaged    from  its  earthly 
incumbrance.     This  doctrine  they  might  think  (as 
many  now  do)  would  fufliciently  anfwer  the  pur- 
pofe  of  a  future  ftate  of  retribution,  which  alone  is 
the  great  object  and  end  of  chrifiianity,   and  of  all 
religion,  as  well  as  the  more  fimple,  but  to  them  the 
Vol,  I,  X  more 


Sec.  XL      CHRISTIAN  CHURCH*         J?0 

more  improbable    doftrine,   which    the    apoiiles 
jhfcpSa  refun.?aion  of  any  thing  that  had  died, 
a^dhacl  b^en  committed  to  the  grave. 

t  foms  ci  the  Gnpftics,  in  conlequence  of 
recount  of  the  body,  might  think  that 
there  was  neither  moral  good  nor  evil  in  any  thing 
relating  to  it,  and  might  therefore  think  themfelves 
at  liberty  to  indulge  themfelves  in  afry  fenfua}  ex- 
cedes,  is  not  irapoffible  ;  though  it  is  more  proba- 
ble that  every  thing  of  this  nature  would  be 
dy  exaggerated  by  the  enemies  of  the  Gnof- 
tics  ;  and  the  apoftles  themfelves,  being  men, 
might  too  haftily  give  credit  to  what  they  had 
heard  reported  concerning  them  j  as  very  fenfible 
and  worthy  men  among  the  heathens  for  a  long 
time  did  with  refpe&  to  fimilar  reports  concerning 
chriRians  in  general  ;  and  2 s  many  per'fons  now 
do  with  refpe£b  to  new  feQs  in  particular,  and  all 
thofe  who,  on  other  accounts,  have  become  the  ob- 
jects of  general  difiike. 

It  cannot  be  denied,  becaufe  it  is  clearly  im- 
plied in  the  writings  of  the  apoflle  Paul  himfelf, 
that  others  of  the  GnofUcs,  who  held  the  fame 
general  principle,  of  the  infinite  fuperiority  ot  the 
mind  to  the  body,  were  led  by  it  to  a.3s  of  morti- 
fication, aWklnkrg  fawn  fk-fli  meat,  wine,  and  re- 
probating even  marriage.  -That  the  Gncflics  be- 
lieved in  a-  future  flate,  and  the  divine  million  of 
Chrift,  is  evident  from  there  being  martyrs  among 

them 


j7i       TME  HISTORY  Or  V  pFR.  I. 

them  ;  though  others  of  them  tflfghl  i 

;u.y    frltfjt    Wai     of    fo    7. v:"':    I 

men  mould  die  for  it,  which   v 

the  cafe  with  many  c:h.:r  chriHiar.s  who  \ 

Gnollics. 

Hie  religious  rifts  of  chrii 
period,  weie  few  an  I  1. 
/hip  was  probably  cwdtafi 
Jews,  to  which  they  had  been  led  in  tl 

fynagogaer.,    where   the    fcripturcs 
read,  and  pr« 

weie'occafionall)  -given,  and  thi 
lure,  which  were  read   in  courfe,  were   fotiieti 
expounded.   To  this  they  added  the  cel<  •  of 

the  eucharift,  or  eating  bread  and  wine  in  femem- 
brance  of  the  death  of  Chrift,  but    probably   v 
little  form,  and  in  fuel:  a  manner  as  to  take  up 
little  time. 

We  have  no  diflin£l  account  of  (lie   adminif- 
(ration  of  baptifm  in  this  period  ;  but  it  is 
that  very  few  words  were  employed  in  tl 
In  general,  it  was,  no  doubt,  p: 
mcrhon  of  the  body  id  wafer,  that 
and  a  pleafant   cuftorn   in  hot   ciitcate: 
drefs  wa|  fuchas  to  be  very  eafily  | 
The  baths  alfo  would  fumifii  com 
ceremony  in  mcfi;  place:.     In  wba 
baptifm  confined,   it  was  adminifti 
fimple  p]  rej  entance, 


Sec.  XL     CHRISTIAN  CHURCH;  17a 

the  perfon  who  adminiftered  probably  faying,  "  I 
"  baptize  thee  in  the  name  of  Jefus  Chrift,"  or  va- 
rying ihc  expreffion  as  he  thought  propi  r.     If  we 

may  judge  from  the  inttd  rices  of  baptifm  occafion- 
rJly  mentioned  in  the  Afc  of  the  Ap  files,  we  may 
fafely  conclude  that  the  perfons  who  baptized  did 
not  think  themfeives  obliged  10  make  ufe  01  the 
form  mentioned  by  Matthew,  "  In  the  nan. e  of  the 
"  Father,  and  of  the  Son,  and  of  the  Holy  Gholt/' 
though  nothing  was  originally  meant  by  that,  be- 
fides  baptifm  into  a  religion  which  cwme  from 
God,  which  was  publifhed  by  Chrift,  and  confirm* 
ed  by  gifts  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  or  miracles. 

The  church  government  of  the  apeftolic  age 
was  as  fimple  as  the  ;ites  of  it.  The  perfons  .  bo 
had  the  rnoft  authority  were  the  elders,  a  title  which 
had  been  borne  by  the  rulers  of  the  Jewifh  fyna- 
gogues;  and  the  fame  perfons  were  indifferently 
called  bishops,  or  over  jeers  \  having  the  general  in- 
fpeclion  of  every  thing  relating  to  any  particular 
church,  and  giving  their  time  and  attention  to  the 
concerns  of  it,  according  to  their  feveral  qualifica- 
tions ;  fome  in  public  teaching,  others  in  keeping 
up  order  and  difcipline,  others  probably  vifiting 
the  lick,  and  others  inftmc"iing  the  young,  See. 

It  is  not  improbable  but  that  when  the  book 
of  Revelation  was  written,  one  of  thefe  elders  in 
cbnfequence'  of  prefiding  (as  feme  one  of  them 
muft  have  done)  when  they  were  met  to  confult 

about 


Sec:  XI.      CHRISTIAN  CHURCH        173 

about  any  thing  in  common,  might  have  obtained 
fome  title  peculiar  to  hirnfelf,  as  that  of  angtli 
which  is  there  ufed,  though  we  never  find  any 
farther  mention  of  it.  Afterwards  the  title  bishop 
became  appropriated  to  this  perfon,  while  the  reft 
retained  the  original  appellation  of  presbyters, 
which  in  a  later  period  was  changed  into  priejls. 
But  in  all  the  early  ages  the  bifhop  had  no  power, 
but  as  one  of  the  body  of  elders,  and  what  he  de- 
rived from  his  perfonal  influence ;  tho'  this  (as  he 
would,  of  courfe,  be  the  moil  refpeftable  of  the 
elders)  would,  no  doubt,  be  confiderable.  There 
was,  however,  no  a&  or  office  which  might  not 
have  been  done  as  regularly  by  any  other  of  the 
elders  as  by  himfclf,  and  he  had  no  authority  be- 
yond his  own  church,  or  as  we  fhouid  fay,  pa- 
rim. 

Another  order  of  perfons  in  the  primitive  church, 
was  that  of  deacons,  a  rank  fubordinate  to  that  of 
elders.  They  were  generally  young  men,  whole 
bufinefs  it  was  to  attend  to  the  fecular  affairs  of  the 
fociety,  under  the  direction  of  the  elders ;  but  as 
an  accurate  diflinclion  in  offices  was  not  much  at- 
tended to,  it  is  probable  that  the  deacons  were  of- 
ten employed  in  affifting  the  elders  in  their  proper 
functions,  for  which  they  would  by  this  means  be 
gradually  prepared.  Thus  the  feven  extraordina- 
ry deacons  who  were  chofento  affift  theapoflles  in 
the  care  of  the  poor,  did  not  confine  themfclves  to 

that 


174        THE  HISTORY  OF  THE      Per.  T, 

that  office,  but  became,  fome  of  them  at  leaft,  emi- 
nent preachers,  like  the  apoftlcs  themfelves.  of 
which  the  biliary  of  Stephen  and  of  Philip  is  a  fuf- 
ficient  proof. 

Women,  and  particularly  widows  who  were 
poor,  were  in  this  v.gc  of  primitive  fimplicifcy.  em- 
ployed in  certain  offices  in  the  church,  probably  in 
attending  the  fick,  afTifting  ftrangers.  &fe  for  which 
they  were  allowed  a  certain  ftipend.  To  this,  no 
doubt,  Paul  alludes  when  he  fays,  honour  -widows 
that  are -widows  indeed,  as  he  alludes  to  the  falaries 
of  the  elders  where  he  fays  that,  they  zvlio  have  rv.U 
cd  well  are  worthy  of  double  honour.  Sach  alio  is, 
no  doubt,  the  meaning  of  the  word  honour  in  the 
fifth  commmandrnent.  Honour  thy  father  and  thy 
mother,  that  if,  give  them  a  fuffieient  mainte- 
nance. 

The  fund  for  thefe  expences  was  a  common 
flock,  to  which  every  perfon  contributed  ?.cccrd- 
ing  to  his  ability,  a  colle&ion  being  probably  made 
for  this  purpofe  every  Lord's  day  ;  and  out  of  it 
the  poor  were  relieved,  and  the  officers  were  paid, 
according  to  their  occafions.  The  rich,  no  doubt, 
•::ufc  cheerfully  gave  their  time 
[ante  to  whatever  bufmefs  ihey  under- 
took, and  others  received  no  more  than  was  fre- 
table  fubfifte&cej  and  decent 

The 


Sec.  XI.       CHRISTIAN  CHURCH        i75 

The    appointment   of    falaries,  as  well   as  the 
proportion  of  relict  to  the  poor,   and  every    thing 
elfe relating  to  the  adminiftration  of  the   affairs  of 
the  fociety,  was  made  by  the  vote  of  all  the   mem- 
bers of  it,  including  the  common   people,  as    well 
as  the  elders  and  deacons.      For  fuch  was  the  cuf- 
tom  till  a  pretty  late  period  in  the  hiftory  of  chrif- 
tianity.      But  in  thofe  days  of  truly   chrifcian   km* 
idjcity  and  zeal  the  great  objctl   and   ujc  of  every 
particular  regulation  was  more  attended   to,  than 
any    honour  or   emolument  that  rcfulted  from   it. 
Afterwards,  alas  !  the  object  was  lefs  thought  of, 
and  the  perional  confiderationmore ;  till  at  length 
the  latter  wholly  1  wallowed  up  the  former ;  places 
and  appointments  in  the  church  being  considered 
in  no  other  light  than  as  means  of  advancing  men 
in  rank  and  fortune  in  the  world. 


PERIOD 


176      THE  HISTORY  OF  THE     Per.IL 


PERIOD     II. 

OFTME  PERSECUTION  BY  DOMITIAN,  AND 
THE  HISTORY  OF  THE  CHRISTIAN  CHURCH 
TO  THE  END  OF  THE  REIGN  OF  ADRIAN, 
A.    D.    138, 


SECTION   I. 

From  the  death  of  Nero,  a.   d,  69,  to  that  of  Tra- 
jan,  a.  d.  117. 


N 


ERO  had  rendered  himfelf  fo  odious 
by  his  folly  and  cruelty,  that  after  his  death,  it  is 
probable  that  his  meafures  would  be  as  unpopular 
as  himfelf ;  and  therefore  that,  though  the  laws 
againft  chriftiapity  ftill  fubfifted  they  were  not 
then  generally  executed.  A  &s  of  violence  feldom 
continue  long,  humanity  interpofes,  and  the  minds 
ofthemoft  cruel  relent.  There  is  at  leaft  a  li- 
lence  concerning  any  particular  cruelties  exercifed 
againft  chriftians,  from  the  death  of  Nero  till  the 
latter  end  of  the  reign  of  Domitian,  a  period  of 
about  thirty  years,  in  which  it  cannot  be  doubted 

but 


Sec.  I.  CHRISTIAN  CHURCH        177 

but  that  chriftianity  continucrl  to  fpread  in  all  the 
provinces  of  the  empire,   as  well  as  in  other    pms 
of  the  world.     Eufcbius   expeefsiy  far",  (hat  Vef- 
pafian,  attempted  nothing  agairrft  the  • 
Domitian,  however,  w;  iter    part  of 

reign,  very  much  referable  1  Nero,  imitated  him 
alfo  in  his  perfecution  of  the  chriftians,  though  he 
does  not  appear  to  have  carried  it  en  with  the 
fame  violence  ;  and  he  feems  to  have  been  led  to 
it  by  his  jealoufy  and  diilike  of  the  Jews. 

The  prophecies  concerning  a  king,  or  a  con- 
queror, to  arife  in  the  Eaft, though  (ofephus  ha.I 
maintained  that  they  were  fulfilled  in  his  faihet 
Vefpafian,  who  was  railed  to  the  empire  in  that 
part  of  the  world,  probably  continued  to  give  fome 
alarm,  fo  that  the  emperor  was  not  quite  eafy  a- 
bout  them.  Indeed  the  mind  cfVefpa Man  hint* 
felf  had  not  been  perfectly  at  reft  on  this  fubja 
For  after  the  taking  of  JerufaJem,  he  ordered  ihat 
inquiry  mould  be  made  concerning  the  defen- 
dants of  David,  that  he  might  exterminate  all  \, 
were  of  that  royal  linef .  Domitian,  hearing  that 
fome  relations  of  Jefus  were  living,  gave  orders 
that  they  mould  be  executed,  and  two  grandfons 
of  the  apoftle  Jud?swho  is  called  the  brother  of 
Jefus,  being  feat  to  him,  he  inquired  of  them,  whe- 
ther they  were  of  the  family  of  David.  W- 
Vol,  I.  Y  they 

*  Eufeb.  Hift.  Lifc  iii.  Cap.  17'  >\   i    ft 

t  Ibid.  Lib,  ill.  Cap.  12.  p.  106. 


i?8      THE  HISTORY  OF  THE     Per.  II. 

they  acknowledged  that  they  were,  he  inquired 
concerning  their  e dates  and  property,  to  which  they 
replied  that  they  were  together  poiTelTed  of  a  thou- 
fand  denarii,  not  in  money,  but  in  land,  confifting 
of  thirty-nine  acres  (^Ky]B^)  out  of  which,  by  their 
own  labour,  they  maintained  themfelves,  and  paid 
the  taxes ;  and  they  fhewed  their  hands  callous 
with  labour. 

The  emperor  then  inquired  of  them  concern- 
ing Chrift  and  his  kingdom,  when  and  where  it 
would  be  fet  up.  To  this  they  replied  that  his 
kingdom  was  not  an  earthly  one,  but  angelic,  and 
heavenly,  to  commence  at  the  end  of  time,  when 
he  would  come  in  glory,  to  judge  the  living  and 
the  dead,  and  to  give  to  every  one  according  to  his 
works.  With  thefe  anfwers  Dcmitian  was  fa 
well  fatisiied,  that,  thinking  he  had  nothing  to  fear 
from  men  who  made  fo  wretched  an  appearance, 
he  not  only  difrnifled  them,  but  alfo  put  a  flop  to 
the  perfection  ;  and  it  was  not  refumed  till  the 
time  of  Trajan*. 

In  this  perfection  the  apolile  John  was  ba- 
nifhed  to  the  ifie  of  Patrnos,  in  the  ^Egean  fea, 
and  there  he  had  the  vifion  which  is  recorded  in 
the  book  of  Revelation.  Alfo  Fiavia  Domkiila 
the  neice  ot  Flavins  Clemens,  who  was  then  con- 
ful,  together  with  many  others  wis  fent  to  the  ifle 

of 
'  Eufeb,  Hid.  Lib.  in.  Gap.  20.  p.  110. 


Sec.    I.        CHRISTIAN  CHURCH.         179 

of  Pontia*.  And  it  is  probable  fiom  Tertullian, 
and  OroGus,  th.it  though  Domilian  himfelf  might 
not  proceed  to  any  great  extremities  in  the  perfe- 
cution  ot  the  chriflians,  advantage  was  taken  of  it 
in  feveral  parts  of  the  empire,  by  ihofc  governors 
of  provinces  who  were  not  their  friends,  to  exeicife 
greater  feverities,  fucfa  as  had  been  inflicted  in  the 
time  of  Nero.  For,  according  to  the  fuperftttion 
of  the  times,  the  chriflians,  who  taught  a  ntw  reli- 
gion, the  object  of  which  was  the  extirpation  of  the 
old  ones,  were  thought  to  be  the  caufe  of  all  public 
calamities.  If  the  Tiber  flowed  higher  than  ufual, 
cr  the  Nile  not  lo  high  ;  if  there  was  any  alarm- 
ing appe.  in  the  heavens  ;  if  there  happe  I 
to  be;  an  earthquake,  pcftilence,  or  famine,  the 
common  r  eople  were  enraged,  and  were  clamoious 
to  have  the  chriflians  facrificed,  and  thrown  to  the 
lions  in  the  public  gamesf. 

On  the  ceiTation  of  this  persecution,  the  apoflle 
]ohn  relumed  to  Ephefus,  and  vifited  the  church- 
es in  that  province  and  the  neighbouring  ones.  It 
is  laid  that,  though,  on  account  of  his  great  *ge, 
he  was  not  able  to  preach,  he  would  always  ull.  nd 
the  place  of  public  worfhip,  and  frequently  fay, 
ii  My  little  children  love  one  another J." 

DomL 
*  Ibid.  Lib.  iii.  Cap.  18   p.  109. 
■\  Orof.  Lib.  vii.  Cap,  l(  .  p.  480.    Tert,  Apol,  ( 
ad.  p.  32. 

.ad.  Gal. Cap.  e.Opeza  Vol.  vi.>l 


i3o       THE  HISTORY  OF  THE     Per.  II. 

Domitian  was  fucceeded  by  Nerva,  a  man  of 
an  excellent  difpofition,  the  reverfe  of  his  prede- 
ceflbr  in  his  behaviour  to  the  chriftians,  as  well  as 
in  other  refpecls.  According  to  Dio  Caffius*,  he 
forbad  the  perfecution  of  any  perfons  either  for 
Judaifm.  cr  tor  impiety,  by  which  is  to  be  under-- 
Hood  ehrrftianity,  being  fo  called  by  the  heathens 
on  account  of  its  being  h'oftile  to  their  worfhip  ; 
and  becaufe  chriftians,  having  no  temples,  altars, 
6r Sacrifices,  were  commonly  faid  to  be  without 
religion. 

The  apoftle  John  is  faid  to  have  died  in  the 
reign  of  Nerva,  or  Trajan,  having  furvived  the  per- 
fecution ©f  Domitian,  but  how  long  is  uncertain* 
According  to  Poly  crates,  bifhop  of  Ephefust,  he 
died  and  was  buried  at  Ephefus. 

Though  Nero  and  Domitian,  the  fir  ft  of  the 
Reman  emperors  who  perfecuted  tiie  chriftians^ 
were  bad  men  in  other  refpects,  we  muft  not  con- 
clude that  all  persecutors  Lave  been  perfons  of  this 
character.  Others  thought  it  their  duty  to  a 61; 
part.  Thus  Trajan,  who  fucceeded  Nerva, 
being  intent  upen  reitbriffg  the  empire,  and  ex- 
Is  of  it,  and  being  withal  very 
Chens  in  general 
Id  not  be  gained  without  the 
re-e  ;  >  under 

which 

'      hiliiij  p. 

.51,  p.  125. 


Sec.   T.        CHRISTIAN   CHURCH         i8r 

which  the  Roman   empire    had  been   forme  I 
flourifhed  ;  and  ehriftianity  had  by  this  tim 

ed  lonmch  ground,  that  the  feftivals,  ar  -es, 

of  the  heathen  worfhip  began  to  be  much  r 
cd,  efpecially  in  Afia  Minor,  and  the  eaftern  pro- 
vinces of  the  empire  ;  fo  as  to  become  the  fubjeel 
of  great  and  general  complaint.  In  confequence 
of  this,  Trajan  procured  from  the  fenate  an  order 
to  reftore  the  antient  religion.  On  the  fame  prin- 
ciple alfo  Marcus  Antoninus  was  a  more  unrelent- 
ing perfecuter  of  the  chriftians  than  Trajan  had 
been. 

The  younger  Pliny,  the  particular  favourite  of 
Trajan,  and  governor  of  Bythinia,  was  one,  amon? 
others,  who  carried  the  orders  of  the  emperor  and 
of  the  fenate  into  execution.  But  fo  great  was  the 
number  of  perfons  whofe  lives  were  forfeited  b}  I 
edict,  that  he  was  at  a  lofs  how  to  proceed,  and 
therefore  applied  to  the  emperor  for  further  inftruc- 
tions.  The  letter  which  he  wrote  on  this  occafi- 
ou  is  extant,  and  is  hihgly  favourable  to  thechrif- 
tians  of  that  age,  as  the  writer  ac;' 
they  could  not  cd  to  be  guilty  of  any  im. 

i\  or  of  obftinacy,  except    in    a 

tr    religion,  and   chft'fing    to   die   rather    than 
abandon  it.     It  alfo  contains  a  mo  ft  an  :  evi- 

dence of  the  great  fpreatl  of  ehriftianity,   in  l 
early  period,  when  the  fa&s  on  it  is  groU 

ere  recent. 

"  Safp<  i  . 


182       THE  HISTORY  OF  THE     Per.  II. 

"  Sufpending,"  fays  he,  "  all  judicial  prcceed- 
i:  ings,  I  have  recourfe  to  you  for  advice.  For  it 
"  has  appeared  to  me  a  matter  highly  deferving  of 
"  conhderation,  efpecially  on  account  of  the  great 
"  number  of  perfons  who  are  in  danger  of  fufFer- 
"  ing.  Many  of  all  ages,  and  every  rank,  of  both 
'•  fexes  al To,  are  accufed,  and  will  be  accufed, 
{:  Nor  has  the  contagion  of  this  fuperftition  feized 
4{  the  cities  only,  but  the  lefiTer  towns  alfo,  and  the 
<:  open  country.  Neverthelefs,  it  ieems  to  me, 
"  that  it  may  be  retrained  and  corrected,  It  is 
"  certain  that  temples,  which  were  a!  moll  for  fake  n, 
"  begin  to  be  more  frequented,  and  the  facred  fo- 
«  lemnities,  after  a  long  in-ermilTion,  are  revived. 
"  Viclims  likewife  are  every  where  bought  up* 
"  whereas  for  fome  time  there  were  few  purchafers ; 
"  whence  it  is  eafy  to  imagine  what  numbers  of 
"  perfons  might  be  reclaimed,  if  pardon  were  grant- 
"  ed  to  thofe  who  mould  repent*." 

So  thought  this  governor,  who  was  probably 
intirely  unacquained  with  the  principles  of  chriili- 
anity,  and  with  the  nature  and  ftrength  of  its  evi- 
dence ;  and  who,  like  many  other  men  in  power, 
\  nn  o  of  letters,  at  that  time,  thought  it  be- 
neaf  fa  them  to  make  any  ferious  inquiry  on  the 
;s  who  d:d  fo  were  fatisfied  that  it 
was  founded  j  3     ...    .   j  -  that  among  the 

chriftianj  v  ...  of  all  ranks.  .:m, 

therefore, 
•Epift.97."l     .... 


Sec  I.       CHRISTIAN  CHURCH* 

therefore*  it  may  be  prcfi  fpe&ablc 

a?  him felf. 

The  emperor,  in  his  an(W<  roved  of 

conduct  of  Pliny,  and  bein  tbabty  (truck  wiih 
the  number  of  christians,  he  ordered  that  they 
fhouldnotbe  fought  out;  but,  perfifting  in  his 
meafures,  he  ordered  that,  if  any  vrere  regularly 
convicted  of  being  chriftiarls,  and  did  not  retracT?, 
by  performing  forne  acl:  of  worfhip  to  the  gods, 
they  fhoul  1  be  puniflied*.  This  was  a  regulation 
of  the  perfecution,  and  by  no  means  a  fuppreffion 
of  it;  though,  if  the  governors  of  provinces  v/ere 
difpofed  to  favour  the  christians,  it  would  be  now 
more  in  their  power  to  fcreen  them.  But  great 
outrages  might  ftill  be  committed  by  the  populace, 
which  Eufebius  fays  was  the  caferatthis  timet; 
and  where  the  governois  were  ho  flue  to  the  chrifti- 
ans,  they  would  be  little  better  for  the  edict. 

Oaeofthe  martyrs  oi  principal  note  in  this 
perfecution  was  Syrneori,  the  fon  of  Cleopas,  the 
bifhop  of  jerufa'.em,  who  fucceeded  tbe  apoltlc 
James.  He  is  faid  by  HegeGppus  to  have  been 
accufedby  fome  heretics,  and  to  have  borne  vari- 
ous kinds  of  torture  many  facccflive  days,  to  the 
admiration  of  Atticus  his  j  aStd  the    ohV 

who  applied  the  torture,  especially  as  lie  was  faid 

to  have  been  an   hundred  and   tweatv  years   old. 

As 

*  Epift.  98.  Lib,  x. 

t  Eufeb.Hift.  Lib,  iii.  Cap.     . 


184        THE  HISTORY  OF  THE     Per.  II. 

As  he  furvived  the  different  modes  of  torture,  this 
veneiable  old  man  was  at  length  crucified*. 

But  the  mcft  diftinguifhed  martyr  in  this  per- 
fection, of  whom  we  have  any  particular  account, 
was  Ignatius,  the  fecond  bifhop  of  Antioch-  Be- 
ing brought  before  the  emperor  himfelf,  when  he 
was  on  his  expedition  againfl  the  Parthians,  he  was 
by  him  fentenced  to  be  thrown  to  the  wild  beads 
at  Rome  ;  and  this  he  heard  not  only  without  dif- 
may,  but  with  feeming  fat  is  feelion.  Being  con- 
dueled  at  leifure  through  Alia  Minor,  he  earneftly 
exhorted  the  chriftians  to  whom  he  had  aecefs  to 
perfe-vere  in  ihc  profeflion  of  chriflianity,  and  alfo 
to  be  upon  their  guard  againfl  the  principles  o*  the 
Gnoilics,  which,  as  we  mall  prefently  fee,  began 
cibout  that  time  to  prevail  more  than  they  had  done 
before;  and  as  the  Gnoilics  feparated  themfelves 
from  the  communion  of  the  catholic  church,  he 
mod  earneflly  befought  all  chrifiians  to  adhere  to 
their  regular  hi  (hops  and  clergy.  Having  liberty 
to  write,  he  exprelfed  his  fentiments  in  feveral  let- 
ters, addrefled  to  particular  churches,  which  with 
many  interpolations,  are  ftill  extant.  In  thefe 
letters  he  often  fpeaks  of  his  approaching  death,  not 
only  without  terror,  but  with  joyf . 

SEC- 
*  Eufeb.  Rift*  Lib.  in.  Cap.  32.  p.  127. 
T  Eufeb.  Hift.   Lib.  iii.  Cap.  35.  p.  132, 


Szc;  II.      CHRISTIAN   CHURCH        i$g 


SECTION  II. 

from  the  Death  of  Trajan,    a.  d,   117,   to  that  of 
Adrian,  a.  d.  138. 

■  T 

A  HE  reign  of  Trajan,  which  was  nearly 
twenty-one  years,  and  efpecially  the  early  part  of 
it,  was  unfavourable  to  chriftianity,  as  far  as  perfe- 
ction can  be  faid  to  make  it  To.  That  of  Adrian, 
which  followed,  and  continued  twenty-one  years, 
was  favourable  to  it,  though  no  law  againft  the 
chriftians  was  properly  repealed.  But  this  empe- 
ror retrained  the  malice  of  the  licentious  populace, 
who  were  ofcen  fo  clamorous  for  the  execution  of 
chriflians,  efpecially  for  their  being  thrown  to  the 
wild  beads  (a  barbarous  entertainment  of  which 
the  bulk  of  the  people  of  that  time  were  extrava- 
gantly fond)  that  the  governors  of  provinces  were 
often  obliged  to  give  way  to  their  importunity.  In* 
deed,  on  feveral  occafions,  the  mere  clamour  of  thz 
mob  induced  the  emperors  themfelvcs  to  do  many 
things  which  were  both  contrary  to  law,  and  what 
they  themfelvcs  much  difliked. 

Behdes  the  bigoted  attachment  of  the  common 
people  to  the  religious  rites  of  their  anceftors, 
which  often  confiftedof  fcenes  of  riot  and   intent 

VoL'1'  '      2  perance, 


l86      THE  HISTORY  OF  THE     Per.H. 

perance,  to  which  the  rabble  in  all  countries  are 
much  addicted,  many  abfurd  and  fhocking  calum- 
nies were  in  thofe  early  times  propagated  againft 
the  chriftians  ;  and  to  thefe  the  common  people, 
and  many  of  the  better  fort  alfo,  were  too  ready  to 
give  credit.  Of  this  kind  Eufebius  mentions  the 
promifcuous  commerce  of  the  fexes,  even  with 
their  neareft  relations,  and  their  feeding  on  exe- 
crable food,  which  ether  writers  explain  of  their 
feafting  upon  young  children,  and  drinking  their 
blood*.  Thefe  reports,  according  to  Eufebius, 
arofe  from  the  practices  ol  the  Gnoflics  ;  but  it  is 
probable  that  they  were  no  more  true  of  them 
than  they  were  of  the  catholics. 

In  this  (late  of  things  two  chriflian  writers  had 
the  courage  to  prefent  apologies  to  the  emperor  for 
their  religion.  The  firft  was  that  of  Quadrat  us 
bifhop  of  Athens,  in  which  he  did  not  content  him- 
felf  with  aliening  the  innocence  of  the  chriflian 
tenets  and  rites,  but  urged  the  fure  grounds  of  the 
chriflian  faith;  afTerting  that  the  miracles  of  Chrift 
were  even  then  to  be  leen,  in  the  cure  of  difeafes 
and  the  railing  of  the  dead  ;  fome  of  the  perfons 
in  whofe  favour  thefe  miracles  were  wrought  be- 
ing then  livingt.  As  this  was  not  much  more  than 
eighty  years  after  the  death  of  Chrift,  and  but  a  few 
years  after  the  death  of  the  apoflle  John  (and   the 

miracles 

*  Eufeb.  Hilt.  Lib.  iv.  Cap.  7.  p.  149. 

j  Eufeb.  Hilt.  Lib.  iv.  Cap.  3,  p.  I42. 


Sici  II.         CHRISTIAN  CHURCH        iS; 

miracles  of  theapofiles  might  with  fufficicnt  pro- 
priety be  called  the  mirac.cs  of  Chrifl,  fince  they 
W(  re  equally  proofs  o;  his  divine  million  with  the 
miracles  performed  by  himfelf)  ^  hat  this  writer 
aflerted  is  by  no  means  improbable  ;  and,  in  his 
critical  circumflances  he  would  hardly  have  ven- 
tured to  allege  a  tad  which  couid  n-jt  have  been 
fatisfacloriiy  aicertained.  Another  apology  was 
pfefmted  to  Ad  iao  b>  Ariftides,  who  had  profefT- 
ed  philofophy  at  Athens  j  and  this,  as  vvcii  as  that 
of  Oaadratus,  was  extant  in  the  time  of  Eufe- 
bius. 

Ir  appears  alfo  that,  alter  the  example  of  Pliny 
S.  G  rani  us,  a  proconful  in  Alia  Minor,  had  repre- 
fented  the  unhappy  (ituation  ot  the  chriftians  in 
his  province,  and  efpecially  the  outrages  which 
they  had  fufFered  from  the  mob.  For  the  edict 
of  the  emperor  fent  to  his  fucceffor  Minutius  Fun- 
danus,  directs  him  not  to  fuffer  thofe  things ;  and 
though  he  does  not  repeal  the  laws  againft  the  chrif- 
tians, he  orders  that  the  penalties  fhould  not  ex- 
ceed the  nature  of  the  offence,  and  moreover,  that 
malicious  accufers  mould  not  efcape  punifhment. 

That  Adrian  had  no  particular  hatred  againft 
the  chriftians^  appears  from  a  fatirical,  but  faceti- 
ous, letter  ot  his  to  Severianus,  the  husband  of  his 
filler  Paulina,  pieferved  in  Vopifcus,  in  which, 
fpeaking  of  the  vifit  he  had  made  to  Egypt,  and 
ridiculing    the    fickleaefs  of  the  people  in  it,  he 

mentions 


188        THE  HISTORY  OF  THE     Per.  II. 

mentions  the  variety  of  religions  in  the  country, 
and  fays,  that  every  perfon,  coming  there,  even  the 
patriarch,  would  by  fotne  be  required  to  worfhip 
Serapis,  and  by  othe-  s  Chrift ;  but  that  all  were 
bufy  and  addicted  to  gain.  "  This  deity/'  he  fays, 
"  the  chriftians,  this  the  Jews,  this  all  the  Gentile 
"  people  woifhip."  From  this  letter  it  is  evident 
that  the  christians  in  Egypt  were  not  few  in  num- 
ber, nor  timid,  but  bore  a  ccnfiJciabk  proportion 
to  the  Jews,  and  even  to  the  b&a^feeflSj  and  that 
they  were  very  afliduous  in  raking  profelytes. 

By  this  edicl;  of  the  emperor,  and  his  known 
difpofiiion  towards  them,  the  chriftians  could  not 
but  have  been  greatly  benefited,  and.  it  is  evident 
that  chrifiianify  gained  much  ground  in  this  reign. 
Many  perfons  of  learning  and  inquiry  joined  them, 
and  the  calumnies  which  had  been  raifed  againfl 
them  vanimed  very  fall.  Eufebius,  fpeaking  of  the 
great  number  of  Gnofiics  in  this  period,  fays*,  that 
they  were  greatly  eclipfed  by  the  catholics,  who 
received  frefh  additions  to  their  number  every  day, 
and  that  the  fanetity  of  their  manners  ftruck  with 
refpecl  not  only  the  Greeks,  but  the  Barbarians 
alfo.  He  adds,  that  the  calumnies  by  which  they 
had  fuffered  were  then  fo  \u\ly  refuted,  that  from 
I  time  to  his  own  no  perfon  had  ventured  to 
. me  them.  This*  however,  could  only  be  the 
cafe  in  general.     For  Certainly,  by  feme,    reports 

to 

Enfcb.  Hid.  Lib.  iv.  Car,  7.  p.    149. 


Sec.    IL     CHRISTIAN  CHURCH.  189 

to  thedifadvantagc  of  chriflianity   were    believed, 
and  propagated,  long  after  this  time. 

That  there  was  no  great  perfecution  of  chrifli- 
ans in  the  time  of  Adrian,  may  with  great  proba- 
bility be  inferred  from  there  being  no    account  of 
any  particular  and   diflinguifhed    martyrs   in    the 
whole  courfc  of  it.     In  all   perfecutions,   i 
the  names  of  but  few  of  the  fufferers  are  pn  ki . 
thofe  only  being  noticed  by  writers  in  v  ho  ■  <■ 
acler,  or  cafe,  there  was   Comething   - 
foas  to  excite  particular  attention.   Still,   b 
when  no  names  are  mentioned,  we  may   prei^me, 
that,  compared  at  Ieafl  with  the  times  preceding  and 
following  it,  there  was  no  great  caufe  of  complaint. 

The  chriflians  were  fo  well  known  in  this  age, 
that  there  was  no  danger  of  confounding  them  with 
the  Jews,  as  was  the  cafe  when  they  firfl  appeared  ; 
and  as  the  affairs  of  the  chriflians  flourifhed,  the 
calamities  of  the  Jewifh  nation  increafed.  In  the 
eighth  year  of  Trajan,  the  Jews  of  I  and  Cv- 

rcnaica  revolted,  and  at  firft  had  Tone  advantage 
againft  the  Greeks ;  but  thefe  tal  in   A- 

lexandria,  flew  the  Jew::  wh  1  .  led  there  ;  ana 
thofe  of  Qjfrene,  wanting  tiejr  affiftapce,  were  not 
able  to  carry  on  a  regular  war,  and  therefore  con- 
tented themfelv  s  with  plundering  the  country, 
being  commanded  by  one  Lu,cua,  called  by  £u- 
bius,  their  king.  At  length  the  emperor,  fending 
againft  them    Marcius  Turbo,    with  a   Efficient 

force 


igo      THE  HISTORY  OF  THE     Per.  II, 

force  by  land  and  fea,  after  many  engagements, 
and  in  a  long  courfe  of  time,  deftroyed  great  num- 
bers of  them,  io  as  to  put  an  entire  end  to  their 
lavages*.  The  emperor,  fearing  left  the  Jews  in 
Mefopotamia  mould  moled  the  other  inhabi- 
tants, ordered  L.  Quietus  to  expel  them  from  that 
province.  Accordingly  in  a  pitched  battle  he  de- 
feated a  great  number  of  them,  and  on  account  of 
ibis  vi&ory  he  was  made  governor  of  Judea. 

But  what  the  Jews  fuffered  under  Tnjan,  was 
htcle  when  compared  with  the  calamities  which  be- 
jel them  in  the  following  reign  of  Adrian.  Hav- 
ing revolted  under  Barcbocah,  who  had  been  noth- 
ing better  than  a  leader  of  banditti,  but  who  had 
flattered  them  with  a  profpeft  of  fome  great  deli- 
verance (probably  giving  out  that  he  was  the  meffi- 
a  ;)  they  were  fubdued  by  Ruins  the  governor,  who 
made  ufe  of  his  advantage  to  exercile  the  moil 
(hocking  cruelties  ;  killing  an  infinite  number  of 
men,  together  with  their  wives  and  children.  At 
length,  in  the  eighth  year  of  Adrian,  when  the 
whole  war  was  reduced  to  the  nege  of  Betthera,  a  for- 

d  place  not  far  from  Jerufalem,  the  Jews  with- 
in i:  fuflfered  the  greateft  extremes  of  hunger  and 
tnirft,  and  thefortrefs  being  at  length   taken,  Bar- 
cocab  himfelf  was  put  to  death.     Alfo,  to  prevent 
any  future  revolt  of  the   nation,  the   whole  race  of 

the 
*  Eufeb.  Hift.  Lib.  iv.  Cap.  1.  p.  142, 


Sec.  ti.      CHRISTIAN  CHURCH.         i9j 

the  ]ews  were  forbidden  to  fet   foot    in  their   own 
country,  or  even  in  Tec  it  at  a  di fiance.* 

Thus,  fays  Eufebius,  was  the  land  of  Judea 
emptied  of  its  own  inhabitants,  and  peopled  by  a 
concourfe  of  flrange  rs ;  a  Roman  colony  being 
fixed  at  Jerufalem,  which,  in  honour  of  the  emper- 
or /Elius  Adrian,  was  called  JElia.  There  being 
no  more  any  Jews  in  the  place,  the  chriftian  church 
which  arofe  there,  confided  wholly  of  Gentiles, 
and  their  firfl  bifhop,  after  thofe  of  the  circumcifi- 
on,  bore  the  name  of  Marcus.f 

After  the  deftrudiion  of  Jerufalem  by  Titus, 
many  of  the  Jetvifh  chriiiians  returned  to  the  place, 
and  kept  up  the  form  of  a  church  till  the  time  of 
Adrian,  The  names  of  the  bifhops  are  preferved 
in  Eufebius,  and  they  fucceeded  James  the  bro- 
ther of  Chrifl  in  the  following  order  :  Simeon, 
Juftus,  Zaccheus,  Tobias,  Benjamin,  John,  Mat- 
thew, Philip,  Simeon,  Juftus,  Levi,  Ephraim,  Jo- 
feph,  and  Judas.  Though,  excepting  Simeon,  the 
firfl  of  them,  we  know  nothing  of  thefe,  befides 
their  names,  yet,  as  they  fucceeded  the  apoftles  iti 
the  anci?nt  mother  church,  I  thought  it  not  amifs 
to  give  a  catalogue  of  tnem. 

S  E  C- 

*  In  the  war  under  Adrian  the  Jews  loft  580,000 
men  in  battle,  befides  thofe  who  peri  (bed  by  famine 
tliflrefs  and  fire,  Basnagc  Vol.   7.  p.  3C8. 

1-Eufcb.  Hift.  Lib.  iv.  Cap.  6,  p.  144. 


i92       THE  HISTORY  OF  THE     Per.  II. 


SECTION   III. 


Of  the  Ghojiics  in  the  Reign  of  Adrian, 


T 


HE  chriftian  writers  of  this  and  the 
Following  age  make  grievous  complaints  of  tht  ln- 
creafe  of  Gnofticijm  in  the  time  of  Adrian  ;  and  no 
doubt,  in  fome  refpeOs,  with  reafon,  as  it  was  a 
great  corruption  of  the  true  chriftian  principles. 
But  this  circumftance  is  an  incontestable  and  va- 
luable proof  of  the  favourable  reception  of  chriitia- 
anity  by  the  learned  and  inquifitive  of  that  age, 
Thofe  who  diflinguifhed  themfclves  as  Gnoflic 
chriflians  were  the  literati  and  philofophers  of  their 
times  ;  who  being  convinced  by  hiftorical  evidence 
of  the  truth  of  the  miracles  and  refurreclion  of 
Chi  ill,  were  led  to  embrace  chriftianity ;  at  the 
fame  time  that,  not  being  able  to  dived  themfelves 
of  their  philofophical  principles,  they  endeavoured 
to  retain  both  ;  and  doubtlefs,  thought  they  could 
do  it  very  confidently  ;  confidering  Chrift  and  the 
apoftles  as  fent  by  God  to  teach  certain  important 
truths,  but  who  (either  not  being  philofophers,  or 
having  their  reafons  for  concealing  their  more  fu- 
blime  tenets,  taught  what  they  knew  in  language 
adapted  to  the  vulgar. 

We 


Sec.  hi;    christian  church. 

We  have  feen  the  rife  of  this  fyflem  in  the  times 
of  theapoftlcs,  and  the  offence  which  it  jufl.lv 
them.      But    notwfchilandiog   ihis,    arid    though 

their  remonftranccs  might  prevent  the  fpread  of 
this  philofophical  chriftianity  for  a  time,  o 
perfons  arofe,  who  cither  were  not  moved  by  the 
authority  of  the  apofUes  (with  refpeel;  to  whit  they 
might  think  they  had  no  particular  commiiTionto 
teach)  or  rinding  means  to  explain  what  they  had 
written,  foas  not  to  be  unfavourable  to  their  fenti- 
mentj*,  levived  the  fame  general  doctrines,  perhaps 
with  fome  little  variation.  And  when,  about  this 
time,  chriftianity  made  more  rapid  advances  than 
ever  it  had  done  before,  fo  as  to  engage  the  atten- 
tion of  all  ranks  and  clafles  of  men,  it  is  not  fur- 
prizing  that,  while  the  greater  part  received  it  as  it 
was  plainly  taught  by  the  apoflles,  fome  perfons  of 
a  fpeculative  turn  ffiould  receive  it  in  conjunction 
with  their  philofophical  tenets. 

That  nothing  bat  the  ftrongeft  evidence,  and 
that  of  the  plain    hiilorical  kind,  could  have    led 
thefe  philofophers  to  embrace  chriftianity,   is  evi- 
dent from  the  oppofnion  that  was  for    fome  time 
made  to  it  by  perfons  of  this  c]d^s3  as  by    Simon 
Magus  and  his  immediate  followers.     It  *as,  in- 
deed,   the    union   of  principles   which    were     far 
from  having  any  natural  connexion.     The  philo- 
fophers of  that  a-?,   viz.  thofe  of  the  Eaft,  could 
not  believe  that  fuch  a  v.orld  as    t;;-,  abounding 
Vol,  I.  A  a  with 


194        THE  HISTORY  OF  THE     Per,  II.  5 

with  fo  many  evils,  could  have  been  made  by  the 
Supreme  Being,  who  is  perfectly  good  ;  and  they 
had  always  been  ufed  to  regard  with  extreme  dif- 
like  and  contempt  the  ceremonies  of  the  Jewiih  re- 
ligion. They,  therefore,  thought  thai  the  world 
was  made  by  inferior  and  imperfeft  beings,  and 
that  the  Jewiih.  religion  had  no  better  origin.  They 
had  always  regarded  matter  with  peculiar  averfion, 
as  a  clog  to  pre-exiftent  lapfed  fpiiits,  who  longed 
to  regain  their  liberty,  and  rife  unfettered  to  their 
priftine  feat  in  the  empyreal  regions,  They,  there- 
fore, could  not  bear  the  idea  of  the  rtfurre£tion  of 
this  hated  body. 

Yet,  notwithftanding  thefe  fixed  principles, 
without  the  aid  of  any  arguments  in  favour  of 
chriftianity  derived  from  the  Jewifh  fcriptures, 
and  its  prophecies  (of  the  divine  origin  of  which 
they  could  not  but  know  that  Chrift  and  the  apof- 
tles  were  fully  perfuaded)  they  could  not  refufe 
their  affent  to  the  evidence  of  the  recent  facls  of  the 
gofpel  hiftory.  They,  therefore,  retained  their  for- 
mer principles,  as  a  fublime  philofophy,  which  was 
not  wholly  inconfiftent  with  the  plainer  chriftia- 
nity of  the  common  people. 

Juftin  Martyr,  who  was  well  acquainted  with 
the  Gnoftics,  and  who  wrote  a  treatife  againil  them 
which  is  now  loft,  fums  up  the  principal  of  their 
tenets  in  two  paffages,  in  his  Dialogue  with  Try- 

pho, 


Sec.  III.     CHRISTIAN  CHURCH.        195 

pho*,  in  which  lie  fays,  "  they  blafphemed  the 
11  Maker  of  the  oniverfe,  and  the  God  oi  Abraham, 
11  Ifaac,  and  Jacob;  fome  of  them  being  called 
u  Marcionites,  fome  ValcLtinians,  fomc  Bafilidi- 
11  ans,  fome  Saturnianians,  and  others  going  by  o- 
11  ther  names  ;  who  fay  that  there  is  no  lefurreclion 
"  of  the  dead,  but  that  immediately  after  death  fouls 
M  are  received  into  heaven.  Do  not,"  he  adds. 
••  take  thefc  to  be  chiiftiansf." 

It  is  remarkable!  that  at  the  fame  time  that  Juf- 
tin  mak?s  this  exclamation  againft  the  Gnoiiics, 
calling  their  tenets  impious  and  blafphemous,  he 
was  himlelf  uniting  with  the  plain  do6trine  of 
Chiift  o^her  philofophical  tenets,  little  lefs  hetero- 
geneous to  it,  tho'  from  a  different  fchool,  viz. 
that  of  Plate,  to  which  he  was  attached.  This  u- 
nioi  of  philofophy  and  Platonifm  afterwards  pro- 
duced a  f)  ftem  far  more  abfurd,  and  more  direct- 
ly contrary  to  the  principles  of  the  gofpel,  than 
any  thing  that  Gnoflicifm  could  have  led  to,  as  we 
fhall  fee  in  the  couife  of  this  hiftory. 

The  Gnoiiics  whom  :I  have  nowdefcribed  re- 
garded with  contempt  the  fyflcm  of  the  Jewifh  re- 
ligion. But  it  appeals  from  the  writings  of  the  a- 
poftles,  that  many  Jews,  and  thofe  the  moH;  zeal- 
ous for  the  rites  oi  their  religion,  held  Gnoflic 
principles.  Thefe  muft  have  been  Jews  of  a  fpe- 
culative  turn,  who  with  other  philoibphers    (tho* 

they 
*  P.  308  and  3 11.  f  Dial.  p.  311. 


i96       THE  HISTORY  OF  THE     Per.  II. 

they  might  not  perhaps  believe  that  the  world  was 
made  by  inferior  beings)  regarded  matter,  and  the 
body,  with  contempt,  and  were  no  believers  in  a 
proper  icfurrecuon.  The  philofophical  Jews  held 
thefe  new  tenets  in  conjunction  with  their  belief 
in  the  divine  infpiraticn  of  Mofes,  jufl  as  the 
Gnoftics  in  Adrian's  time,  who  were  unbelievers 
in  the  divine  mfpiration  of  Mofes,  held  the  lame 
philofophical  tenets  in  conjunction  with  their  be- 
lief of  the  divine  million  of  Chrifl. 

Of  the  clafs  of  Jewifh  Gnoftics  was  probably 
Cerinthus,  who  is  faid  to  have  oppofed  the  apcflle 
John  ;  and  conhdering  the  vehemence  with  which 
this  apcllle  imtes  a^ainft  the  Gnoftics,  an  anec- 
dote which  Irahaefis  fayfc  he  had  from  Polycarp, 
who  Was  acquainted  frith  the  apoftles,  and  was  by 
them  ordained  bifliop  of  Smyrna,  I  do  not  think 
altogether  improbable,  viz.  that  finding  himfelf  in 
a  public  balh  together  with  Cerinthus,  he  made 
hafte  to  leave  the  place,  faying,  "  Let  us  flee,  left 
c;  the  bath  in  which  is  Cerinthus,  the  enemy  of 
"  truth,  fall  upon  lis*/'  In  this  manner  might 
this  ar.  [lie  chufe  to  exprefs  his  averfion  to  Cerin- 
thus and  his  principles;  The  Nicolaitans,  who 
are  mentioned  with  great  indignation  in  the  book 
of  Revelation,  as  addicted  to  fopie  practices  highly 
cenfurable,  were  probably  Gnoftics  of  this  clafs.  f 

An 

*  Eufeb.  Ilia.  Lib.  iv,Cap.  14,  p.  161, 
y  Ibid,  Lib.  iiiC'a.  13.         :>. 


Sec.    III.     CHRISTIAN    CHURCH        197 

An  anecdote  Gfnilai  to  that  which  I 
from  Pol;  c.;ip  relates  concerning  John  is  told  of 
Folycarp  himfelf,  viz.  that  being  met  by  Marcion, 
and  asked  whether  he  would  acknowledge  him, 
meaning  as  a  chriftian,  and  a  brother,  he  replied, 
I  acknowlege  thee  to  be  the  fiifl  born  of  Satan*. 
The  philofophical  Marcion  would  probably  (mile 
at  this  an-ry  reply  of  the  venerable  old  bifhOp. 

After  the  age  of  the  apoflles,  we  have  iiO  dT- 
tinct  account  of  any  other  eminent  Gnoftics  of  the 
fame  cbfs  with  Cerinthus,  who  is  faid  to  have  had 
many  fjllowers,  efpecially  in  Afia  Minor,  though 
fo me  of  the  feels  of  the  GnoRics  enumerated  by 
Hegefippus,  ivere  probably  Jews.  For  he  fpeaks 
of  the  church  of  Jerufalem  as  continuing  a  pure  vir- 
gin till  the  time  of  Simeon,  the  lafl  of  the  Jewiih 
bifhops  of  Jerufalem.  "  Till  that  time,"  he  fays, 
"  it  was  not  corrupted  with  abfuld  uoclrincs  (an 
cxpreffion  almoft  appropriated  to  the  Gnoftic  no- 
tions] but  firfl  Thebuthis,  becaufe  he  was  not  made 
"  a  biihopj  began  to  corrupt  it,  his  being  one  or  tb  * 
M  feven  hercfies.  After  him  were  die  Sir. 
"  from  Simon,  the  Cleobians  from  Cleobius,  tl 
"  Dofitheans  from  Dofuhcus,  the  Gorthean  lioin 
11  Gortheus,  and  Lhe  Mafbotheans.  From  them 
t{  came  the  M  nandrians,  the  Marcionites,  th« 
"  Carpocratian.%  the  Valentinians,  I 
i:  and  Saturnianians,  each  of  them  preaching  tl 

"  i  fFerent 

*  Eufeb.  Hift.  Lib.  iv,  Can,  14,  p.  16I 


i98       THE  HISTORY  OF  THE     Per.  II. 

"  different  do&rines.  From  them  came  falfe 
"  Chrifts,  and  falfe  prophets,  who  divided  the  u- 
st  nity  o(  the  church  with  corrupt  doclrines,  again!! 
ei  God,  andagamR  his  Chnft."  * 

We  may  the  lefs  wonder  at  our  hearing  of  no 
particular  Gnoftics  among  the.  jews,  as  we  have  fo 
few  accounts  of  the  Jevviih  chriftians'  thcmfdves. 
But  the  Gnoftics  among  the  Gentile  chriftians 
Diade  a  great  figure  at  this  time,  under  leaders  of 
diftiti^u^fhed  eminence,  who  wrote  many  books, 
which  employed  the  learned  among  the  Catholics 
of  (cine  centuries  to  aniwer.  They  are  reprefent- 
ed  as  having  been  the  difciples  of  one  another  in 
regular  fu  cefiion,  beginning  with  Dofitheus,  who 
is  (aid  to  have  been  the  mailer  of  Simon,  as  Simon 
was  of  Menander,  a  Samaritan,  and  Menander  of  Sa- 
turninus  of  Antioch,  who  was  followed  by  BafUides 
of  Alexandria,  f 

Cerdon  who  is  (aid  to  have  been  the  difciple  of 
Simon,  came  to  Rome  in  the  pontificate  of  Hygi- 
nus,  the  ninth  from  the  time  of  the  apoflies.  He 
was  fucceeded  by  Marcion  of  Fontus,  who  had 
many  more  follower;:.  +  But  the  perfon  whofe  dif- 
ciples were  the  molt  numerous  was  Valentinus, 
whoalfo  vifkcd  Rome  in  the  time  of  Hyginus.  He 

flourifhed 
*  Eufeb.  Eift.  Lib.  iv,  Cap.  24,  p.  122. 

-j-  Ibid,  Lib.  iv.  (Jap.  7,  p.  I4'/. 

%  Eufeb.  Rife,  Lib,  iv,  Cap.  11,  p.  154. 


Sec.  IV.       CHRISTIAN  CHURCH        199 

flourifhed  chiefly  in  the  time  of  the  emperor    V 
nius  Pius,  anJ  continued  to  lHc  t-tne  of  Anicetuj. 

In  the  time  of  II  ^efippus  Gnoiticifm  (. 
was  the  only  fyftcm  that  this  writer  confidered  as 
herefy)  had  not  infected  the  greater  churches.  lie 
came  to  Rome  in  the  time  of  Anicctus,  and  on 
his  journey  converfed  with  many  bifhops.  and  par- 
ticularly vifited  the  church  of  Gotriatb,  and  found 
in  all  of  them  what  he  xalls  the  do&rine  of  the  a- 
poftles,* 


mm  matttSMK^mm 


SECTION    IV. 

Of  the  Chriflian  Writers  in  this  Period. 


w 


ITHIN  this  period  the  apolllejohn 
wrote  his  book  of  the  Revelation,  containing  an 
account  of  the  viiions  which  he  had  in  the  ifle  of 
Patmos,  whither  he  had  been  banifhed  by  Domi- 
tian.  It  was,  however,  long  objected  to  by  many, 
as  not  written  by  this  apoftle  ;  and  fome  are  frill 
averfe  to  receive  it.  I  (hall  not  enter  into  the  argu- 
ments for  or  againft  this  book  ;  but  what  has  been 

alleged 
*  Eufeb.  Hilt.  Lib.   iv,  Cap.  24,  p,  181, 


200      THE  HISTORY  OF  THE      Per,  II. 

alleged  in  favour  of  its  having  been  written,  by  the 
apoftle  preponderates  with  me. 

There  is  "little  doubt  of  the  genuinenefs  of  the 
three epifties of  John, or  of.their  having  been  written 
near  the  clofe  of  his  life  ;  one  general  epiftle,  and  the 
two  others  addreiTed  to  particular  perfons.  The 
principal  object  cl  them  all  is  to  guard  thofe  to 
whom  he  writes  againft  the  opinions  of  the  Gnof- 
tics,  efpecialty  the  Docetag,  who  held  that  Chnft 
was  man  only  in  appearance,  and  had  not  real 
flelh  and  blood.  He  alfo  inculcates,  in  a  moil  ear- 
ned and  afFe6t.ion.3te  manner,  the  chriftian  duty  of 
brotherly  love,  and  exhorts  to  practical  virtue  in 
general. 

The  other  writers  within  this  period  are  very 
few,  and  of  them  tew  are  extant,  except  fuch  as  are 
evidently  interpolated. 

The  oldeft  work  of  the  age,  if  it  had  bztn 
genuine,  is  that  which  goes  by  the  name  of  The 
gfifiie  of  Barnabas.  The  defign  of  it  is  the  fame 
with  that  of  Paul  to  the  Galatians,  and  to  the  He- 
brews :  viz.  to  (hew  the  fuperiority  of  the  gofpel  to 
the  law  of  Molt?.  Whoever  was  the  author  of 
this  epiftle,  it  was  probably  written  foon  after  the 
deftruflion  o\  Jerufalem.  It  abounds  with  inter- 
pretations of  the  Oid  Teftament  which  difcover 
much  more  of  imagination,  than  of  judgement. 

The  moft  valuable,  and  unqueftionably  genu- 
ine, production    of  this  age,  is  an    epiftle  to  the 

church 


Szc.  VI.     CHRISTIAN  CHURCH.         201 

church  of  Corinth  by  Clemens,  bifhop   of  R  >rrifr, 
the  faifae  wiivu  Paul  men' ions*  as  one  of  his/;     .; 
laifarcrs   tvhjfi  k&Htes   wtre  in  tlte  book  of 
T  lis  e£idle  was  held  in  -     -1  D3  a^ 

chrifliins,  and,  like  the  fcriptures,  wzs  publid 
read  in  m  my  churches.      I:  is    an  earned:  diffira- 
fi<>e  from  the  fpirltoi  fadlion,  which   appeared    iii 
tnc  iiirch  61  Coritithj  and  which  w  Gift 

fieientl)  cbtifpicutais  when  Paul  wrote  b  tics* 

re  is  extant  smother  epiftle  afcribed  to  this  Cle- 
mens, but  it  is  evidently  fpurious,  and  was  probi- 
by  written  in  the  middle  ot  the  third  century.  • 
highly  was  this  Clemens  efteehied  by  ehriftians  of 
a  later  age,  that  feveral  other  writings  were  palled 
upon  him,  efp?cially  the  Apojlolical  Conjlituiions 
the  Clementine  homilies,  of  which  an  account  will 
be  gven  in  their  proper  place. 

Another  wotk  ot  doubtful  authority  is  the  S:  - 
herd  cf  Her  mas,  by  forne  thought  to  be  that  Her- 
mas  who  is  mentioned  by  Paul  in  Lis  epiftle  to  the 
Romans  ;  but  by  others  fuppefed  to  be  either  fpu- 
rious,  or  to  have  been  written  by  a  later  Hermas, 
or  rather  Hermes,  brother  of  Pius,  bifhop  of  R61 
about  the  year  14O.  Whoever  was  the  author  of 
this  work  (and  though  it  war,  fo  much  eftemed  oy 
many  chuftians,  as  to  be  publicly  read  in  1 
churchest)  it  is  certainly  a  very  poor  performance. 

Voil.  Bb  I 

*  Phil.  iv.  3. 

"f  From  this  we  may  v,  ith  gve  it  probability  infer  t'  at, 
in  this  early  age,  the  canonical  books  of  the  New  P      e 


so2       THE  HISTORY  OF  THE     Per.  II. 

It  confifts  of  three  virions,  twelve  commands,  and 
ten  fimilitudes.  The  objeft  of  them  all  is  to  incul- 
cate moral  duties,  but  the  method  of  doing  it,  by 
viGons  or  revelations,  which  were  certainly  fictiti- 
ous, is  not  to  be  juftified.  Eufebius  does  not  de- 
termine whether  this  work  be  genuine  or  not*. 

It  is  probable  that  the  epi files  afcribed  to  Igna- 
tius, efpecially  the  lefFer  ones,  are  in  the  main  genu- 
ine, and  the  interpolations  that  are  in  them  may 
eafily  be  diftinguifhed.  They  were  written,  as  was 
mentioned  before,  on  his  journey  to  Rome,  to  en- 
courage chriftians  in  a  (late  of  perfecution,  and  to 
warn  them  again fi  the  principles  of  the  Gnoftics. 

We  have  a  letter  of  Poly  carp  ^  bifhop  of  Smyr- 
ma,  tothe  Philippians,  written  to  enforce  the  prac- 
tice of  moral  duties,  and  to  difiuadefrom  the  prin- 
cioles  of  the  Gnoflics.  An  account  o(  the  martyr- 
dom of  this  excellent  man  will  be  given  in  the  next 
period. 

In  the  time  of  Eufebius  there  were  extant 
five  books  of  Papiast   biJJiop  of  Hierapolis  in  Syria, 

a  hearer 
ment  were  not  thought  by  chriftians  to  be  written  by  a 
proper  infpiration.  For  they  certainly  did  not  confider 
the  epiftle  of  Clemens,  or  the  vifions  of  Hermas,  as  fo 
written  ;  and  lince  the  idea  of  the  books  of  fcripture- 
being  infpired  has  prevailed,  it  has  been  thought  im- 
proper to  put  any  other  writings  fo  much  upon  a  level 
with  them,  or  read  them  alike  in  the  time  of  public 
worfhip. 

Lib   iii.  Cap.  3.  p.  90. 


MC   IV.     CHRISTIAN   CHURCH        203 

a  hearer  of  the  apoflle  John,  and  a  companion  of 
Polycarp,  of  tlie  interpretation  of  the  divine  bra&  ,. 
Papias  was  a  great  colic ttor  of  the  Payings  of  the 
apoflles;and  one  of  the  traditions  preferved  by  him 
was  that,  after  the  refurredlion,  Chrill  would  reign 
upon  earth  a  thou  fund  years,  an  opinion  which, 
from  his  authority,  was  long  ref  peeled  by  many*". 

The  Apologies  of  Ouauatus  and  Anflidcsad- 
dreflfed  to  Adrian  were  mentioned  beloie. 

Among  the  chnflian  writers  in  the  time  of  A- 
drian,  Eulebius  mentions  Hegehppus,  and  alfo 
Juflin  3  but  as  the  Apology  ol  the  latter  was  ad- 
dreiled  to  Antoninus  Pius,  I  (hail  fpeak  of  them 
both  hereafter. 

To  this  account  of  chrifiian  writers,  it  may  be 
proper  to  add  that  of  two  Jewifh  authors,  as  their 
works  are  of  particular  importance  to  chriitians, 
viz.    Philo  and  Jofephus. 

Philo  was  a  native  of  Alexandria,  brother  to  the 
chief  magistrate  among  the  Jews  in  that  place,  and 
he  was  lent  at  the  head  of  theembafTy  to  Caligula, 
as  has  been  mentioned.  His  writings,  which  are 
numerous,  fhew  that  he  was  much  attached  to  the 
Platonic  philofophy  ;  and  he  made  a  very  abfurd 
uic  of  it  in  interpreting  the  fcripturea  of  the  Old 
TeftafcienC,  which  is  the  object  of  moft  of  his  works. 
In  fact,  he  represents  the  writings  of  Mofes  as  a 
kind  of  allegory,  the  true  meaning  of  which  is  to  be 

and 
*£ufcb.  Hift  Lib.  iii.  Cap.  39.  p.  U 


204        THE  HISTORY  OF  THE     Per,  II. 

■  d  in  the  piinciples  of  Plato ;  though  we  are 
not  to  fupnofethat  he  therefore  confidered  the  Mo- 
faic  hiftorj  a$  a  fable,  deiluute  of  hiflorical  truth. 
T-  mode  of   interpreting    fcripture  Philo  was 

>pil)  Lioucd  bv  Ongen,  and  other  learned 
c]  ftians,  for  which  they  are  y-i\iy  ridiculed  by 
Porphyry,  a?  Philo  was  by  Celfus.  From  Philo 
ii  was  that  t  .     •  '  Ring  chrift:an  Fathers  learn* 

e*  the  prrfomiticaiiun  o>  t  J  *  e  divine  logos;  lo  that, 
v.  if'iOi.t  bein-  a  clmfiian,  he  n^y  be  confidered  as 
]    -       »  laid  Gh<   :»und.Ui(;n  of  the   doctrine  of    the 


J    [ep&as  is  a  writer  of  much    greater  value,  as 

his  principal  woik  is  a  hiftory  ol  the  Je  nfii  nation 

the  b<  .  ?-nd  to;  utains    a  particular  ac- 

<      rrtofthe  IcAr    periods  of  it,  a,,  i  of  the  deftn  c- 

ol    Jeri  L     .  j  kfc€j  the  etheri      mi  ies  which 

I  the  nation,  of    which  he  k&s  aft  eye   wrtoef    ; 

having  had  tht  command  of  an  army,   and  \ ■..-.     g 

been  taken  prifoner  and  treated  ;  «h  grealkind 

as.      His  b  •:    ry  beaismaikjS 

ire  .   i&  i  himfelf  to  the  Gretks  and 

Romans  ;  hut  this  appeared  more  particularly  |  y 

Ixis  xn  ii    -  inihg  that  VefpaGan,  who  was  proclaimed 

emperor  in  the  Eaft,   was  the  Meffiah  of  tiu  anci- 

ts.      H-   c      '  illy  emits  all  mer.non  of 

or  of  chriftiant.     This.,  as  he  could  not  but 

e  been  acquainted    m,   probably   arete 

from  his  not  teing  able  to  fay  any  ill.  and  his  net 

cimfing 


Skc.  IV.       CHRISTIAN  CHURCH.       ^o$  . 

cbuflni  to  'av  an>'  8')r><^  of  Ln('m'  anfl   ^1;V'S  L'iat 
he  haJ  imbibed  the  general  prejudices!  i  his  na 
jnft  them*     Qn  this  account,  however,  I 

torv.    which   (hews    the  exact  accompliflin    nt  of 
our  Savour's  predictions  concernir  : 
truetion   ot  Jerufel««>i  fcad    the  temple,  is   of   ihc 
more  value  to  Cnniiians. 

B  fides  his  twenty  books  of  Jewifh  Antiqr. 
and  {'even  of  the  jewilh  war,  we  have   of  j 
apanegvneon  the   Maccabees,  his    oifcB  life,  and 
two  books  againft  Apion,  in  defence  of   his  nation 
aftidl  religion.     He  fpent  the  latter  part  of  his  hie 
at  Rome. 


Thus  we  are  come  to  a  conclufion  of  what  may 
be  called  the  virgin,  or  pure  age  of  the  church,  in 
which  we  perceive  no  trace  of  any  doclime  or  prac- 
tice (excepting  thofe  of  the  Gnofcics,  who  in  this 
period  were  in  a  great  meafure  ed  from  the 

catholic  church)  befides  thofe  which  were  derived 
horn  the  apoflles  themfelves.  Nunc  cf  the'wri- 
ters  I  have  mentioned  lb  much  as  allude,  in  the 
mcfl  diflant  mariner^  to  any  hefefy  but  thai  of  the 
G  no  flics,    wl  Ich    was     chfiftiatifty    c  .:  ated 

with  the  pri  of  the  oriental  philofophy.    In 

the  whole  of  this  period  the  f'ole  object  of  wc::::ip. 
in  all   chriftjan  churches,  was  no    other  than  the 

J 


2c6         THE  HISTORY  OF  THE     Pzr.  II. 

one  true  God,  the  God  and  Father  of  our  Lord 
Jefus  Chrift.  And  Chrift  himfelf  was  by  all  con- 
fidered  as  the  mod  diflm^uifhed  of  the  prophets, 
who  had  noex.'itence  before  the  time  of  hi>  birth 
in  Judea.  The  memory  of  what  had  been  uni- 
formly taught  by  the  apoftles  was  as  yet  too  recent 
for  any  departure  from  fuch  a  fundamental  doctrine 
as  that  of  the  unity  of  God. 

In  the  following  period  we  (hall  have  a  very 
difFeient  fcene  opening  upon  us.  It  could  then  no 
no  longer  be  faid,  as  hitherto  it  might  be,  that  there 
were  few  men  of  learning  among  chriftians,  Phi- 
lofophers,  as  well  as  other  perfons,  gaveattention  to 
evidences  of  chriilianky,  and  became  converts  ;  fo 
that  in  a  fhort  time  the  number  of  writers  among 
the  heathens  bore  a  fmall  proportion  to  thofe  a- 
mong  the  chiilliaiis.  But  the  credit  which  chrfti- 
anity  derived  frcm  this  flattering  circumftance  was 
in  a  great  meafure  counter  balanced  by  the  foreign 
opinions  which  thefe  philofophers  brought  into 
cbriftianity,  and  connected  with  it ;  fmce  by  this 
means  a  foundation  was  laid  for  a  fyftem  of  chrifii- 
an  idolatry,  little  better  than  that  of  the  heathens, 
and  for  various  other  abufes  and  corruptions, 
through  which  it  was  barely  poiFible  to  difc^rnthe 
fea  _:cs  of  .primitive  chrifhnity* 


PERIOD 


Sec.  I.  CHRISTIAN  CHURCH       207 


PERIOD     1 1  r. 

FROM    THE      DEATH     OF     ADRIAN,    A.    D.     138,     Tf 
THATOF      MARCUS     AURELIUS,    A .    D .    1  8 O. 


SECTION    I. 

Of  the  State  of  Chriflianity  in  the  Reign  of  Antoni- 
nus Pius,  and  of  the  Martyrdom  of  Polycarp  and 
Juflin,  in  the  Reign  of  Marcus  Aurelius. 


A 


NTONINUS  Pius,  who  fuccecded 
Adrian,  and  reigned  twenty- three  years,  was  one 
ot  the  heft  of  emperors,  and  was  diftinguifhed  for 
his  juftice  and  humanity.  He  was  far  from  perfe- 
cting the  christians,  though  they  were  perfecuted 
in  his  reign,  efpecially  in  the  beginning  of  it,  by 
fome  governors  of  provinces,  who  either  took  ad- 
vantage of  the  laws  which  were -not  repealed,  or 
gave  way  to  the  clamours  of  the  populace.  For, 
as  there  had  been  fome  earthquakes  in  Afia,  and 
the  neighbouring  countri  es,'the  fuperflitious  hea- 
thens, ignorant  of  their  truecaufe,  afcribed  them  to 

the 


£03       THE  HISTORY  OF  THEPer.    III. 

the  ar^er  of  the  gods,  for  the  defertion  of  their 
worfhip,in  ccnfequenre  of  the  fpread  of  chriftiani- 
fcy  ;  and  on  this  account  they  were  guilty  of  great 
outrages  upon  the  chriftians.  Of  thefe  they  com- 
plained, and  Juflin  Martyr  prefented  to  Antoni- 
nus an  apology,  which  is  flill  extant,  and  appears 
to  have  been  well  received.  For  the  emperor  iim- 
ed  an  edi6l  in  favour  of  chriftians,  the  authenticity 
of  which  is  vindicated  by  Dr.  Lardner*. 

There  is  fo  much  good  fenfe  in  this  edicl:.  and 
itdifcovers  fo  much  knowledge  of  the  principles 
and  conduct  of  the  chriltians,  in  this  emperor,  that 
I  fhall  give  it  entire  in  the  doctor's  tranflation  from 
Eufebimf. 

"  The  emperor  Antoninuf,  A uguftus,  Arme- 
"  nicus,  Poritifex  MaximuS,  &c.  to  the  Hates  of 
"  Alia  fendeth  greeting.  I  am  well  fatisficd  the 
cs  gods  will  not  fufler  fuch  men  to  be  concealed  : 
(i  for  undoubtedly  they  are  mere  concerned  to 
6i  punifh  thofe  who  reiufe  to  worfhip  them  ihan 
"  you  are.  But  you  only  confirm  thefe  men  in 
"  their  fcnttmenis,  and  make  them  more  cbflmate, 
"  by  calling  them  impious,  and  giving  them  vexa- 
"  ticn.  For  they  are  not  fo  deCrGus  to  live,  as  to 
"  be  profecuttd,  and  fuffer  death  for  their  G  >d, 
11  Hence  they  come  eff  victorious,  lading  down 
"  their  lives    rather    than  do  what  you  demand  of 

"  theni 

*  Heathen  TelUmonies,  Vol.  ii.p,  155. 
f  Lib.  iv.  Cap.  12.  p.  159. 


Sec.  I.  CHRISTIAN  ClIU^CFI. 

•-'  then.      \s  fox  the  cir,1i  j  i :}:  a   >i   bp  former  or 
*k  the  prefect  times,  it  rna)  not  be    improp:  1  t< 
<k  vife  you   to  corn  ;i    •  ]      i,  :f    \c  h  th     p,  and 

<•  y  ur  feni  nems    with   theirs.      !•'  >r  when    . 
"  tilings  happen,  you   are    d  j  cUd,  but    t   ej 
M  fill  ot  cQnfi  ience  in  God  ;  an  1  )'  -  i   in  tfcte  i 
*f  ranee  you  are  in,  ne-lcct  the  ci 
J!  r'tes,  and  t!ie  w-i-'h   >  of  t\e  io?  n  Djfal    1  kcwijfe; 
'•  ;mi  the  christians  who  worfhip  him  >  ou  baufh, 
"  and  perfecute  to  death.     Before  our  time  rn 
"  governors  of  provinces  wrote  to  our  deified  fat] 
'k  about  thefe  men,  to  whom  he  wrote,    that  they 
"  fhonld  not  bernoLfted,  unle's    they  did    thr 
••  contrary  to  the  welfare  of  the    Roman    govern- 
"  ment.      Man  \ralfo  have  informed   me   about  the 
"  fame  men,  to  whom  I  returned  an  anfwer  agreea- 
"  ble  to  the  refcript  of  my  father.  U,  therefore, 
"  perfon  will  dill  accufe  any  of  thefe  men  as  {;■ 
i(  (i.  e.   a  chriflian)  let   the  accufed  be  acquitted, 
«'  though  he  appear  to  be  fuch  an  one,  and  let 
"  accufer  be  punifhed* — Set  up  at  Eeheius  in  the 
"  common  aflfembly  of  Afij.% 

"  And  that  thefe  things  were  fo   done,"   ad's 
Eufebius,  ';  is  attefled  by  Melito  bifhop  of  Sai. 
"  who  flourifhed  at  that  time,  in  what  he  fays  in  bjs, 
"  excellent  apology,  which  he  made  for  our  religi- 
on to  the  emperor  Verus*." 

Vol.  I.  C  c  Si    ' 

*  Heathep  Teftipoonies;  VoL  ii.  p.  i. 


2io      THE  HISTORY  OF  THEPer,    III. 

Such  being  the  difpofition  of  this  excellent  em* 
peror,  the  perfecutions  arifing  from  the  violence  of 
the  common  people  were,   no  doubt,   re  (trained  ; 
and  accoidingly  we  have  no  account  of    any  parti- 
cular martyrdoms  till  the  following  reign  of  Mar- 
cus Aurelius ;  who  though  an  excellent  emperor  in 
other  refpe&s,  was  neverthelefs  a  bigotted  heathen. 
In  the  eighth  year  of  his  age  he  had  been  introduce 
ed  into  the  college  of  the  Salian  priefts,  and  could 
himfelf  discharge  all  the    functions  of  that  prieft- 
hooc1.      Bting   much   attached    to   the   fludy    of 
pbilofophy,  he  honoured  his  teachers  not  only  with 
ftatues,  butalf}  with  facrrfices ;  and  in  the  worfhip 
of  the  heathengods  he  was  fo  fuperftitious,  that  he 
was  fometimes  ridiculed,  as  Julian  was  afterwards 
for  the  great  number  of  his  facrifices ;   and  in  com- 
mon with  the  weakeflof  the  heathens,  he  had  great 
faith  in  omens  and  dreams. 

In  the  beginning  of  his  reign  many  calamities 
befel  the  empire.  The  Tiber  overflowed,  and  did 
great  damage  in  the  city.  After  this  followed  a 
famine.  The  Parthians  alfo  declared  war  againll 
the  Romans,  and  defeated  their  arm.es.  Many 
heathen  philofophers,  being  by  him  invited  to 
Rome,  and  fupported  by  him,  advifed  him  to 
maintain  the  religion  of  his  anceflors,  no  doubt,  as 
a  neceffary  means  ot  preferving  the  empire,  and 
providing  for  the  (lability  of  it.  To  this  he  had 
no  averfion,  and  being   a  Stoic,  and    thinking  it 

..Lh 


Sec.  I.         CHRISTIAN  CHURCH.         til 

right  to  he  inflexible  in  Irs  meafures,  he  ilTucd  ri- 
gorous edicts  againfl  the  chnilians,  which  were 
obeyed  with  fnfficient  alacrity  by  the  governors  of 
provinces. 

He  does  not  appear  to  have  been  at  all  moved 
by  feme  excellent  apologies,  which  were  prelented 
to  hirnby  chrifl  in  writers,  or  hy  thofe  which  had 
been  prefcn*ed  o  Adrian  and  Antoninus  Pius  ;  and 
yet  he  tnu  t  'nve  been  well  acquainted  with  chrif- 
tians an  I  the  principles  on  which  they  acted. 
The  fortitude  oi  chriftians,  in  bearing  persecution 
he  menti  ns  ;n  his  own  writings.  1  u  afenbes  it  10 
chjhn.  cy;  a. id  this  he,  with  Pliny  (he  ycunger,  and 
man)  others,  tbou-ht  to  be  a  fuflicient  caufc  of 
piiiiiihment.  Had  the  heathens  borne  torture 
and  death  with  the  fame  fortitude,  he  would,  no 
doubt,  have  highly  commended  them  ;  but  he  was 
provoked  at  the  fuperiority  which  the  chriftians 
fhewed  to  all  other  men  in  fimilar  circumftances. 

The  apologies  for  ehriflians,  which  were  pre- 
fented  to  this  emperor  though  all  without  effeel, 
were  thofe  of  Juftin,  Tatian,  Athenagoias,  Apolli- 
naiis  of  Hierapolis,  Melito  of  Sardis,  and  Theo- 
philus  of  Antioch  ;  and  towards  the  end  of  his  reign, 
appeased  that  of  Miitiades.  Some  paffages  in 
thefe  apologies  I  (ball  recite  from  the  transi- 
tions of  Dr.  I.  'duer,  as  they  fhew  the  fili- 
ation of  chriftians  in  thole  times,  and  how  they  were 

affecled  by  it. 

Juftin.. 


jlU       THE  HISTORY  OF  THE  Per  III. 

juttin,  afa  •:■  nr  miomng   P'olemy,  and  two  o- 

$  jfleilff  by  the  order  of    Uibi- 

jfe^l  Sf  the  city,  and  #firj  freaks  as  if    the' 

n  rfccation  was  general    fays,  "   Things  that  have 

a  few  days  a^o:  in  your 

v  :inc|  v.  I  v  tt  H(  r.  d\>ne  in  like  man- 

a  j-^r  kv  r.o   {  i  :  wiwdutrealbn,  have  c  tn- 

me    to  rnakenthis   acMcfs    to'jou."  In 

cuulIo  of  it,     he£fays;    -  Every  where,  if  any 

*«  C       "  lonifhed,  or  reproved  for  a  fault, 

a  neighbour,  a  child,  a  friend,  a  bro- 

.    :      ad,  or  a  wife  he    would   F^fently 

•   g  pernor,  who  would 

«.  ^  -      .;•  ;       Jejith  upon  him*," 

Aih^nagQl&s,  who  was  probably  an  Athenian, 
tills  ttek  emperor  and  Con  rr  dof  (=er  hisapology 
was  preferred  at  {he  clo.feof  his  reign,  wind  ihews 
ll.a  ne  uad  not  relaxed  ol  his  feventy  in  tiu  coyrfe 
of  i:}  >i,;:  ell  other  people  experienced  the  be:- 
ot  their  cquiuble  government ;  "  but  we  cl  ril  I* 
"  ar; ,/*  i.  >  he.  <:  becau'e  no  regard  is  had  to  us, 
ts  r  or  any  pravifipB  n  ace  tor  us,  though  we  do 
<<  --■  are-in  ail  things obedient  to  the  Di- 

ft  vine  Ben-  5  our  government,  are  barraiTed 

>.  only.     We  there- 
m  (orc  -;     .   .  ike  care  of  us.  that  we  may 

j i  r  put  to  (       '      y  Acophai  ts/' 

;-  a  fragment  of   Lis  apology  preferved 

by 

*  Heathen  T  euiiccnies,  \ol.  ii.  p.  U'4« 


Sec.  T.  CIIR ISTI  AX  CHURCH       213 

b>  Kufebius,  Ti\  s.  "  Pious  men  arc  now  perfe- 
i(  cuied  .tfid  Ikm  flfed  tinoughout  all  Alia  by 
<k  d  civrs,  v. hch  was  never  done  before;  and  im- 
«'  parent  iycophants,  and  fucfi  B9  covet  tfie  p  Q  - 
"  (ions  ot  others,  tak'hg  occafioii  from  the  edicts, 
"  rob  without  [carol  (hame,  and  ceafe  not  to.  p)un- 
(l  di.r  i'l';!!'  who  have  offended  in  nothing."  Af- 
terwards, "  If  t\  3»e  done  b)  >our  oi'ci, 
"  let  them  bethought  to  b€  well  done  ;  tor  it  is 
«  not  re-fonar/c  M  belted  that  a  juft  emni-uf 
"  mould  ever  decree  what  is  unjuft,  and  we  fh  all 
"  cheerful'y  bear  the  reward  of  fuofa  a  1  a, 
w  This  rcqu,  ft,  however,  we  make  to  you.  thai  5  an 
«  will  mfifftfi  youi (elf  concerning  thofe  who  are 
"  engaged  in  this  contention  [i.  e.  the  chndk.  sj 
"  and  then  judge  whether  they  deferve  death  and 
"  punifhment,  or  faiety  and  quiet.  But  if  this  re- 
5{  f,lutien,  and  new  edi£l,  winch  is  not  fit  to  bs 
*'  enacted  againft  barbarians  and  enemies,  proceeds 
li  not  trcm  you,  as  we  hope,  much  more  would  we 
f£  entreat  you  not  to  neglect  us,  and  give  us  up  to 
"this  public  rapine*/' 

It  is  pretty  evident  from  this,  Kbit  the   emperor. 
Marcus  Antoninus    Hfiied   new  cdi         ■    ;init   the 

il'tians,  even  e  clofe  of  his  reign  ;  and 

though  Te:  :H:...i  hat  he  published  no   new 

r&  cftrfftfcn*,   Lardner  obferves  that 

there  might  be  imperial  edicts  publiihed  in   Gaul 

and 
"  Heathen  Teflimonies,  Vol.  ii»  p.  1S6, 


*i4       THE  HISTORY  OF  THE  Per.  III. 

and  Afia,  with  which  he  was  not  acquinted.  Other 
critics  are  of  the  fame  opinion,  and  Mofheim,  with 
great  probability,  fuppofes  that  by  the  new  edicts 
the  accufers  and  profecu tors  of  the  chriftians  were 
ntitled  to  their  poiTeffions,  as  a  remcompence  for 
their  zeal  againfl  them. 

Notwithstanding  the  above- mentioned  excellent 
apologies,  M.  Aureltus,  with  unrelenting  rigour, 
continued  the  perfecution  of  the  chriflians  to  the 
end  of  his  reign,  which  was  near  twenty  years  /  fo 
that  they  differed  more  under  him,  than  under  all 
the  preceding  emperors.  Eufebius  fays  that,  in 
confequenceofthe  populace  promoting  the  perfe- 
cution, the  number  of  martyrs  was  aimoft  infinite, 
and  that  he  fliould  give  a  fuller  account  of  them  in 
a  feparate  treatife  ;  contenting  himfelf  with  menti- 
oning, in  his  general  hiftory,  a  few  of  the  more  re* 
marfcable  cafes,  which  I  fhail  recite  after  him. 

In  this  perfecution  fullered  the  illuftrious  Po- 
lycarp,  bifhop  of  Smyrna,  who  had  been  the  com- 
panion of  the  apoftle  John  ;  and  Eufebius  inti- 
mates that  the  perfecution  was  violent  not  at 
Smyrna  only,  but  in  Afia  in  general.  Ol  what 
happened  in  other  places  we  are  now  ignorant,  but 
of  the  martyrdom  of  Polycarp  we  have  an  authen- 
tic account,  in  an  epiflle  from  the  chriflians  at 
Smyrna  to  their  brethren  at  Philadelphia  and  o- 
ther  places. 

Before 


Sec.  I.  CHRISTIAN  CHURCH.      215 

Before  thev  come  to  the  account  of  Polycarp, 
they  fpeak  of  other  tmrtyis  in  general,  and  de- 
fence their  conflancy  in  fuffering  the  tortures  to 
which  they  were  expofed  ;  obferving  that  the  f^ec- 
tators  were  aftonifhel  to  fee  them  fcour^ed  till  (heir 
veins  and  arteries  were  la.d  bare,  and  even  their 
entrails  became  vifible;  that  after  this  they  were 
laid  upon  the  (hells  of  fea  fifhes,  and  fharp  fpikes 
fixed  in  (he  ground,  and  expofed  to  other  kinds  of 
torture,  and  at  lafl  vere  thrown  to  the  wild  be  U 
to  be  dovoured.  One  Germanicus,  being  young, 
was  advifed  by  the  prefident  to  fpare  himfelf  •  but 
he  was  not  moved  by  it,  and  being  expofed  to  the 
wild  beads,  rather  ftimulaled  them  to  difpatch  him 
the  fooner. 

After  this  the  whole  multitude  cried  out  for 
Poly  carp  to  be  produced.  He,  hearing  of  this  was 
not  difturbed,  and  had  no  intention  oi  ilying,  but 
was  prevailed  upon  by  his  friends  to  retire  to  a 
country  houfe  not  far  off.  Here,  three  days  before 
his  apprehenfion,  he  dreamed  that  bis  pillow  was 
in  flames,  which  led  him  to  fay  that  he  fhould  die 
by  fire.  Being  purfued,  he  fled  to  another  place  ; 
but  being  traced  thither,  herefufed  going  any  far- 
ther faying,  the  will  of  the  Lord  be  done  ;  and  go- 
ing to  thofe  who  were  fent  to  apprehend  him,  he 
talked  cheerfully  with  them,  and  ordered  meat  to 
be  fet  before  them,  requeuing  that  they  would  per- 
mit him  to  pray  undifturbsd  for  a  fingle  hour. 

After 


6ai        THE  HISTORY  OF  THE  Peh.  III. 

Afier  his  yriycr  he  was  condu&ed  to  the  city, 
and  or.  t-  e  •  •  %y  Herod  the  Irenarch,  and  his  father 
N  co  ■:>  io  khim  into  their  chariot,  with  a  \ie<v  to 
j,erfuad°  him  to  facrifjcc  ;  bat  on  his  re  filial,  they 
thrufl  Ir'm  rudely  out  of  if,  fo  that  his  leg  was 
[  ;  ifedi  Recovering  bimfeif,  he  proceeded  to  ^e 
gWUura  with  great  ch  erhdrefs  an  I  being  bro'J  ht 
^  -he  procenfuh  at  d  urged  by  him  to  ue1  e 
Cy^ift,  he  zfik  ercd.  "  Fomfcore  and  ^x-,yioatri  have 
t:  I  ferved  bjtti  and  he  has  nev^r  none  mt  ar  y  in* 
«'iurv  ;  bow  cm  I  bh.fohcme  my  kin?  and  my 
<k  Sanom  ?"  Baaiiag  threatened  to  be  thrown  to 
.  ,  and  appearing  ind.fferent  to  ir,  he 
v  ii  threatened  with  fire,  to  which  he  anfwer- 

ed,  "  You  threaten  me  with  fire  which  burns  for  an 
«  hour,  ard  then  is  extir^uiihed  ;  but  you  are:  ig- 
"  tiorant  of  the  fire  of  the  future  judgment,  and  e- 
«'  venaitinq  punishment,  refeived  for  the  wicked; 
"  but  why  do  jju  delay,  appoint  which  yuu 
«  pkafe." 

Proclamation  then  being  made  that  Pol)  carp 
had  perilled  in  proleffinghimfelf  a  chrifiian,  rxuny 
Jens  and  heathens  of  the  city  demanded  chat  a  lion 
fhould  be  let  loofe  upon  h>m  ;  but  Piiibp  the  Afi- 
a:  ch  faying  that  this  was  lmpoihble,  as  the  exhibit 
t  u  of  wild  beaCs  was  over,  the)  cried  with  one 
vufce  that  he  fhould  be  burned  alive,  and  all  join- 
ed in  biinging  dry  wood,  the  jews  easily  affiOiiig, 
accuiding  to  ti^ei|  Guftom. 

When 


Sec.  I.       CHRISTIAN   CHURCH:        117 

When  the  pde  was  made  ready,  Polycarp  un* 
dreffrd  hnnfelf,  and  endeavoured  to  pull  *>1F  his 
Jhoes,  which,  on  account  of  his  great  a^e,  he  had 
not  for  a  longtime  been  able  t-j  do  ;  and  when  they 
were  about  to  n-ul  himto  the  flake,  he  faid, "  L?A  mc 
M  beas  I  am.  He  that  enables  me  to  bear  the  fire, 
11  will  alio  enable  me  to  remain  unmoved  within 
u  the  pile,  without  your  {aliening  me  with  nai's." 
They,  therefore,  only  bound  him,  and  after  permit- 
ting him  to  pray,  when  he  had  concluded  (laying 
aloud,  Amen)  fire  was  put  to  the  pile  ;  but  as  he 
did  not  die  To  foon  as  they  expelled,  at  the  requefl 
of  the  people,  he  was  difpatched  with  a  fword. 
The  fLm  being  confumed,  the  chriftians  gathered 
his  Bones;  and  depofited  them  in  a  proper  pace, 
the  j<  ws  having  been  particularly  urgent  that  his 
b  )dy  fhoul  1  not  be  given  to  the  chriftians  to  be  in- 
terred. They  conclude  with  faying,  that  if  they 
were  permitted,  they  fhould  ctlebrate  the  day  of  his 
d  :a  h  upon  the  place,  as  his  birth- day,  in  commi- 
m  nation  of  fo  glorious  a  contest,  and  for  the  iu- 
flruction  of  pofterity. 

The  authors  of  this  epillle  gave  an  accoun!  of 
twelve  other  martyrs,  and  among  them  of  one  Me- 
trodorusa  prefbyler  2mong  the  Marcioni:es,  who 
was  burned  alive,  and  efpccially  of  one  Pionius, 
diftinguiflied  for  his  bold  confefnon,  his  exhorta- 
tion to  others,  and  his  conflancy  in  the  nre.  Eu- 
febius  concludes  this  chapter  oi  his  work  with  men- 

Vol.  I.  Dd  tioning 


2i8       THE  HISTORY  OF  THE  Per.  III. 

tioning  feveral  who  differed  martyrdom  at  Perga^ 
mus,  as  Carpus,  Papulus,  and  a  woman  of  the 
name  of  Agathonica. 

It  was  under  Marcus  Aurelius  that  Juflin,  the 
author  of  the  Apology  mentioned  above,  fu ffered 
martyrdom,  and  thence  acquired  the  tifle  of  Mar- 
tyr, to  diflinguifh  him  from  other  perfons  of  the 
name  of  Juftin.  He  was  original'y  of  Samaria, 
and  had  applied himfelf  to  the  fludy  of  philofophy, 
efpecially  thatcf  Plato,  of  which  he  always  conti- 
nued to  be  a  great  admirer  ;  but  according  to  his 
own  account,  he  was  converted  to  chriflianity  in  a 
private  conference  with  fome  venerable  old  man. 
In  a  fecond  Apology  written  by  him,  and  addreiTed 
to  Marcus  Antoninus,  he  faid,  he  expected  that 
fnares  would  be  laid  for  him  by  one  Crefcens,  a 
Cynic  philofopher,  with  whom  he  had  had  ilme 
difpute;  and  this  appears  to  have  really  happened. 
For  at  the  accufation  of  this  Crefens  he  was  con- 
demned to  death,  in  the  fixth  year  of  this  emperor, 
a.  d.  1 66 ;  and  it  is  thought  that  he  was  beheaded 
by  the  order  ofRuflicus,  the  preiecl  of  Rcme*. 

According  to  Juflin,  this  Crefcens,  though  by 
profeflion  a  philofopher,  was  a  very  immoral  man, 
and  fuchin  general  were  the  perfecutors  of  the  chrif- 
tians.  Juflin  himfelf  gives  us  an  account  of  a 
martyrdom,  which  (hews  the  innocence  of  the  ac- 
cufed,  and  the  malice  of  the  accufer.     There  was  a 

man 
*  Eufeb.  Hift.  Lib.  in  Cap.    16.  p.  1T4- 


Sec.T.         CHRISTIAN  CHURCH.         fcr* 

man  and  his  wife,  who  had  both  of  themlivctl  very 
dilfolute  lives,  till  t  he  woman,  becoming  a  chrillnn, 
reformed  her  conduct,  and  endeavoured  to  reclaim 
her  hufband  ;    but  her    expoftulations   having  no 
effecl:,  after  bearing  with  him  a  long  time,  fhc  got 
hcrfclf  divorced  from  him.      In  revenge  he    accuf- 
ed  her  of  being  a  chriftian,  but  probably  not  being 
able  to  get  her  condemned,  he  next  accufed    one 
Ptolemy,     by     whom   (lie    had   been   converted. 
Ptolemy,  being  afked  whether  he  was  a  chrillian, 
immediately  acknowledged  it,  and  in  confequence 
was  ordered   for    execution.      One  Lucius,  feeing 
this,  cxpoftulated  with  the  judge,  whofe  name  was 
Uibicus,  for  condemning  a  man  who  was  guilty  of 
no  crime,  or  immorality.      On  this  the  judge  afked 
him  if  he  was  a  chriftian  alio,  and    he    anfwering 
that  he  was,  he  was  immediately  ordered  for  execu- 
tion like  wife ;  as  alio  were  three  others,  who  prefent- 
ed  themfelves  in  the  fame  manner.    So  little  dread, 
adds  our  hiflorian,  had  the  chrifiians  of  death,  that 
many  of  them  rejoiced  in  the  profpeel  of  it*. 
*  Eufeb.  Hifl.  Lib.  iv.  Cap.  17.  p.   177, 


SEC 


520      THE  HISTORY  OF  THE  Per.  III. 


SECTION  II. 

Of  the  Chrijlian  Martyrs  at  Lyons  and  Vicnnc  in. 
Gaul. 

X  HEmoft  (hocking  fcence  of  barbarous 
perfecution  in  ibis  or  any  other  reign,  was  exhibit- 
ed at  Lyons  ?nd  Vienne.  in  Gaul,  which  is  given 
b)  Eu  robins  as  a  f<:  cimen  ot  what  was  transa&td 
r  >iher  places, from  an  authentic  account  written 
by  the  remaining  cbriflians  of  the  places  to  the 
churches  of  Aua  and  l^hrygia  ;  and  to  give  fome 
il>  he  fa*-??*  rage  with  winch  this  perfecution 

was  Cdn.t-a  on,  nut  (  Ay  with  the  connivance,  but 
with  the  knowledge  and  approbation,  of  this  pbilo- 
fophical  emperor,  I  fhail  give  a  pieti)  large  abridg- 
ment of  this  account. 

The  perfecutiqn  began  with  excluding  fhechrif- 
riai  s  iiurn  the  baths,  the  markets,  and  all  places  of 
public  concourfe.  Then  the  populace  infulted 
:  em  in  the  mod  outrageous  manntr,  dragging 
th<  m  about,  plundering  their  goods,  and  thereby 
obliging  them  to  keep  within  their  houfes.  Alter 
this,  being  regularly  accufed  before  the  roagifirates, 
they  were, on  their  confefling  themfelves  tc  oe  chrif- 
tians, fent  to  the  prifons  till  the  arrival  of  a  prtli- 

dent 


Sec.  II.  CHRISTIAN"  CHURCH      221 

dent  of  the  provience.  Being  brought  before  him, 
Vettius  Epigathus  de fired  to  be  heard  in  their  be- 
half; but  acknowledging  himfelf  to  be  a  chnflian, 
he  was  not  permitted,  but  was  confined  wnh  the 
reft  ;  and  many  others  joined  in  an  open  proieflion 
of  their  faith,  though  about  ten  perfons  were  dag- 
gered with  the  pro,  peel:  of  what  they  had  to  fuf- 
fer,  and  renounced  their  religion  ;  a  cirrumflance 
which  gave  the  reft  more  concern  than  the  idea  of 
what  was  prepared  for  themfelves.  More,  howe- 
ver, were  foon  added  to  r.he  number  of  the  confef- 
fors,  and  thofe  the  moil  eminent  chnftiaos  in  the 
place. 

Stricl;  orders  having  been  given  to  make  ir^ui. 
ry  into  the  lives  and  conduct  of  the  chnflians,  fc 
apoftates  were  pievailed  upon  to  accufe  them  of 
inceft,  feeding  upon  human  fl^fh,  and  fucii  other 
abominations  as  public  rumour  had  laid  to  thttir 
charge.  After  this  the  rage  of  the  people,  even  of 
thofe  who  before  had  not  beenfo  ill  difpofed  towards 
them,  was  raifed  to  the  highefl  pilch  * 

They  then  proceeded  to  torture  thofe  who  had 
been  apprehended,  in  order  to  make  them  confefs 
the  truth  of  what  was  laid  to  their  charge,  and  ef- 
pecial ly  Sanclus,  a  deacon  of  Vienne,  Maturus,  a 
young  convert,  Attalus,  a  native  ol  Pergamus.  but 
a  ^ieat  pillar  of  the  chriftian  caufe  in  Gaul,  and 
Blandina,  a  Have.  For  her  many  periods,  and  et- 
pcciaily  her  mi  ft  re  fs,  were  in  great  pain,   left  the 

torture 


222       THE  HISTORY  OF  THE  Per,  IHS 

torture  mould  be  too  much  for  her.  But  fhe  bore 
it,  in  a  great  variety  of  forms,  from  morning  to  e- 
vening,  to  the  aftoniihment  of  thofe  who  applied 
it ;  and  it  <vas  obferved,  that  (he  feemed  to  relieve 
herfelf  fiom  her  agony  by  every  now  and  then  re- 
peating that  fire  was  a  chnftian,  and  that  the  chrif- 
tians  were  innocent  people. 

To  all  the  queflions  that  were  put  to  Sandus, 
in  order  to  prove  the  vile  charges  againft  himfelf 
and  his  brethren,  he  anfwered  nothing  but  that  he 
was  a  chriftian.  This  provoked  the  executioners 
fo  much,  that  they  applied  red  hot  plates  of  iron  to 
the  tendereft  parts  ot  his  body,  till  be  was  all  one 
wound,  and  bad  hardly  the  appearance  of  the  hu- 
man form.  Having  left  him  a  few  days  in  this 
condition,  they  hoped  that  while  he  was  fore,  they 
fhoirld  make  him  more  exquifitely  fenhbleto  frefh 
tortures,  But  chefe,  being  applied  to  him  while  he 
was  dreadfully  (Veiled,  were  obferved  to  have  the 
effect  of  reducing  him  to  his  former  flrjpe.  and  ref- 
toring  him  to  the  ufe  of  his  limbs. 

At  this  time  one  Biblias,  who  had  renounced 
the  faith,  being  produced,  in  order  to  repeat  the 
calumnies  with  which  fhe  had  been  induced  to 
charge  the  chriftian s,  was  filled  with  remorfe,  and 
openly  retrained  what  fhe  had  alleged ;  hying, 
how  could  the  chriftians  eat  infants,  or  drink  their 
blood,  when  ihcy  did  not  even  eat  the    blood   of 

brute 


Sec.  II.         CHRISTIAN  CHURCH.       223 

brute  animals.*      In  confequerice  of  this,   flic  was 
added  to  the  nunibei  dfthe  martyrs. 

This  mode  of  torture  not  fucceeding,  many 
were  Ihut  up  in  noifomc  dungeons,  in  which  they 
were  alio  tortured  in  their  iect  and  many  other 
ways,  and  many  died  of  (ufFocation  ;  but  others 
lived  in  this  dreadful  fituation,  and  comfort  i  '  :h 
as  were  brought  to  them.  Thofe  who  expired  11 
this  confinement  were  chiefly  the  young  and  the 
tender,  who  had  not  been  accuflomed  to  bear  zr.y 
hardfhips. 

At  length  Pothinus,  the  bifhop  of  Lions,  who 
was  then  more  than  ninety  years  old,  and  very  in- 
firm, was  brought  before  the  tribunal  ;  and  on  his 
confefiion,  without  any  regard  to  his  age,  or  wcak- 
nefs,  he  was  infulted  in  the  mod  outrageous  man- 
ner by  the  mob,  who  beat  him  with  their  fifls, 
kicked  him  with  their  feet,  and  threw  at  him  what- 
ever came  to  hand,  as  if  they  were  avettghrg  the 
caule  cf  their  gods  upon  him. 

Ten  perfons,  it  was  obferved,  had  fhrunk  from 
the  trial,  and  denied  that  they  were  chriPdans. 
Thefe,  not  being  credited,  were  net  allowed  to 
have  the  benefit  of  their  recantation,  and  being  ra- 
ther infulted  for  their  cowardice,  were  brought  to 
punishment  along  with  the  reft,  as  murderers,  thoJ  ' 

not 
*  It  is  evident  from  this  circumftance,  that  the  chrif-  j 
tians  in  that  age  thought  fhexnfelves  bound  by  the  de- 
cree of  the  apoftlea  at  Tenualem  not  to  eat  bloud. 


*24         THE  HISTORY  OF  THE    Prr.  Ill, 

not  as  chriftians,  on  the  evidence  which  had  been 
produced  of  their  eating  human  flefh.  Thefe  went 
along  wth  countenances  full  of  fhame  and  dejec- 
tion, while  the  reft  appeared  chearlul  and  full  of 
courage  ;  fo  that  the  difference  between  them  was 
eafi!)  perceived  by  all  the  by-ftanders.  Alter  this 
ro  chriftian  who  was  apprehended  renounced  his 
profession,  but  perfevered  in  it  to  the  la  ft. 

The  populace  having  been  clamorous  to  have 
the  chriftians  thrown  to  the  wild  beafts  in  the  am- 
phitheatre, that  favourite  fpeclacle  was  at  length 
provided  for  them  on  this  occaiion,  and  Maturus, 
San&us,  Blandina,  and  Acralus,  were  brought  out 
for  this  purpofe.  But  before  the  production  of  the 
wild  beafts,  Maturus;  and  Sanclus  were  made  to 
fuffer  the  torture  in  the  amphitheatre,  as  if  it  had 
not  been  applied  before  :  and  every  thing  that  an 
enraged  multitude  called  for  having  been  tried  up- 
on them,  they  were  at  length  roafted  in  an  iron 
chair,  till  they  yielded  an  ofFenfive  fmell  of  burnt 
flefh.  Notbmg,  however,  could  by  this  means  be 
got  from  Sanctus,  befides  his  former  confeftion, 
that  he  was  a  chriftian;  and  at  length  an  end  was 
put  to  his  fufferings  by  dea'h. 

Blandina  was  then  produced,  and  wl.cn  fhe 
was  fattened  to  a  flake,  a  wild  beaft  tHis  let:  loofe 
r^-on  her  ;  but  this  alio  ihe  bore  wi  h  the  greateft 
rompofurc,  and  by  her  prayers  encouraged  others 
to  bear  whatever  might  be  prepared  for  them  ;  and 

as 


Sec.  II.         CHRISTIAN  CHURCH.      it 


j 


as  the  wild  bead  did  not  meddle  with  her,   flic  was 
remanded  back  to  prifon. 

Then  Attalus  was  loudly  called  for,  and  ac- 
cordingly he  was  led  round  the  amphitheatre  frith 
a  *>  .  u\i  held  before  hirn,  on  which  was  inferibed, 
This  is  Attalus  the  Christian.  11  it  it 
appearing  that  he  was  a  Roman  citizen,  the  prefi- 
dent  reminded  him  to  prifon,  in  expedition  of  an 
aniWer  from  the  emperor  concerning  him  and  o- 
theri  who  were  in  the  fame  predicament.  In  this 
v  vte  they  fo  encouraged  ethers,  who  had  before 
declined  this  glorious  combat,  as  it  was  juitJy  call- 
ed, that  great  numbers  voluntarily  declared  them- 
felves  chrifltans. 

The  anfwer  of  the  emperor  was,  that  they  who 
confe(Ted  they  were  chriftians  fliouid  be  put  to 
death  ;  but  that  thofe  who  denied  it  mould  be  fefc 
at  liberty.  Upon  this  there  was  another  affembly 
held,  attended  by  a  vafl  concourfe  of  people,  be  • 
fore  whom  the  confefibrs  were  produced  ;  wlien 
thofe  of  them  who  were  Roman  citizens  were  be- 
headed, and  the  reft  were  thrown  to  the  wild  beads. 
But,  to  the  aftonifhment  ofr  all  prefent,  many  v. 
had  before  renounced  their  chnftianity,  and  were 
bow  produced  in  order  to  be  fet  at  liberty,  revoked 
their  recantation,  and  declaring  themfelves  christi- 
ans^  fullered  with  the  reft.  Thefe  had  been  gte  tt- 
ly  encouraged  fo  to   do  by    Alexander  a   PhrypJ- 

Vol.  I.  Eq  an. 


226         THE  HISTORY  OF  THE  Pex.  III. 

an,  who  had  fhewn  himfelf  particularly  anxious  for 
the  perfeverance  of  his  brethren. 

At  this  the  multitude  was  greatly  enraged;  and 
then,    being    called  before  the  tribunal,  and   con- 
feffing  himfelf  to  be  a  chriftiari,  he  was    fentenced 
to  be  thrown  to  the  wild  beaib  ;   and  ihe  day  fol- 
lowing was  produced  in  the  amphitheatre  for  that 
purpofe,  together  with  Attains,  whom   the  people 
had   infilled  upon  being  brought  out  oixe  more. 
But  previous  to  their  expofure  to  the  wild  beads, 
they  were  both  made  to  bear  a  variety  of  tortures, 
and  were   at  length   run   through  with  a   fword, 
During  all  this  Alexander  laid  nothing,  but  fliew- 
ed  thegreateft  firmnefs  ;  but  Attalus,  when  he  was 
in  the  iron  chair,  faid,  in  allufion  to  the  chriftians 
being  charged  with  murdering   and  eating  of  in- 
fants  "  This,  which  is  your  own  practice,  is  to  de- 
"  vour  men  ;  we  neither  ea*-  men.  nor  are  we  guil- 
ty of  any  wickednefs/'     It  mould  feem  that  the 
privilege  of    a  Roman  citizen,  viz.  that  of  being 
beheaded  without  torture,  was  not  granted  to  Atta- 
lus. 

On  the  lad  day  of  the  fhew,  Blandina  was  pro- 
duced r^ain,  together  with  a  young  man  of  the 
name  of  Posticus,  about  fifteen  years  of  age,  who 
had  been  every  day  brought  to  fee  the  fuffcrings^ 
of  Others.  This  youth  being  called  upon  to  ac- 
knowledge the  heathen  typds,  an;*  refusing  to  doit, 
fhe  multitude  had  na  companion  for  either  ofthem, 

but 


Sec.  II.     CHRISTIAN    CH  URCH.  7 

but  made  them  <;o    through   the    «  bi  le    cil 
tortures,  till  P  >ptJ£US  expired  in  them  ;  an* 

dina,  after  being  fcourged  and  placed  in  the  hot 
iton  chair,  was  put  into  a  net,  and  expofed  to  a 
bull;  and  ^rrcr  being  toffed  by  him  iome  time, 
{he  was  at  length  difpatched  with  a  fword.  The 
fpe&ators  acknowledged  that  they  had  never 
known  any  woman  bear  torture  as  flic  had  done. 

When  this  fcene  was  over,  the  multitude  con- 
tinued to  (hew  their  rage  by  abuftng  the  dead  bo- 
dies of  the  chriftians.     Thofe  who  had  been  fuf- 
located    in  pnTon  were  thrown  Lo    the  dogs,   and 
were  watched  ddy  and  night  left  any  per  Ion  mould 
bury  them.  The  fame  was  done  with  the  bodies  that 
were  left  u neon  fumed  by  fire,  that  had  been  mang- 
led or  burned,   with  the  fingle  heads  of  fome,  and 
the  trunks  of  others.     Even  in  this  condition   the 
heathens  infulted  them,    asking  them   where   was 
their  God,  and  what  their  religion   had  done   for 
them.     Thefe  bodies  and  limbs,  having  been  ex- 
pofed  in  this  manner  for  fix  days,  were  burned,  and 
being  reduced  to  jibes,  were  thrown  into  the  river, 
to  dilappoint  them,  as  they  thought,  of  the   hope 
of  a  refurrcclion.      From    what    was  done  in 
place,  fays  Eufebius,  we  may  judge  cf  what  was 
trarifacled  in  others. 

What  adds  to  the  praife  of  thefe  martyrs  is 
that,  whereas  thai  title  was  cfteemed  a  marl:  i 
the  highefl  honour,  they  would  not,   in  the  m 

of 


228       THE  HISTORY  OF  THE  Per.  III. 

of  their  tortures  be  called  by  that  name,  faying 
that  it  belonged  to  Ghrift  only,  or  to  others  who 
had  died  before  them.  They  faid  that  they  were 
only  confessors,  and  entreated  the  prayers  ot  their 
brethren,  that  they  might  be  able  to  hold  out  to 
the  end.  They  alfo  prayed  for  their  tormentors, 
and  did  not  exult  over  thofe  who  fell.*  This 
happened  in  the  fecond  year  of  Marcus  Antoninus, 
a;  d.  167. 


SECTION   III. 

Of  Monianifm, 


1 


N  the  nineteenth  year  of  Antoninus  Pius, 
A.  d.  156,  appeared  the  feci;  of  Montanns.  He 
was  a  native  of  Ardaba,  a  village  in  Myfia,  on  the 
borders  of  Phrygia,  on  which  account  it  is  fome- 
times  called  the  Phrygian  or  Cataphrygian  here- 
fyf,  The  followers  of  Montanus  fo  n  became 
heretics  in  the  original  fenfe  of  the  word.  For 
being  excommunicated  by  other  churches,  they 
had  feparate  affemblies  of  their  own,  but  they  held 
no  opinions  on  any  fubjefis  of  rrru'h  importance, 
different  from  thefe  of  other  chriftians.  They  only 

ufed 
*   EufeS.  Hift.  Lib.  v,  Cap.  1,  p.  198 
i    Ibid.  Lib.  v.  Cap.16.  p.  229, 


Sac.  III.         CHRISTIAN  CHURCH      229 

ufed  greater  audenty  of  manners,  obfervin*  various 
rules  of  failing,  highly  commending  celibacy,  com 
t!i  inning  all  Cecond  marriages,  &c.  What  they 
att  moft  ro  be  ccn Cured  for  is  their  pretending  to 
t  fi  gil  of  pn  phecy,  in  the  tame  Cen(e  in  which 
the  apoflles  were  poileiTed  of  it,  and  to  have  that 
fpirit  which  our  Saviour  called  the  paraclete  or  ad* 
vocaic,  and  which  he  promiCedto  Cend  after  his  af- 
cention.  The  Montanifts  maintained  that  this 
prophecy  was  properly  fulfilled  in  them  ;  the  chrif- 
ti  in  church  not  having  been  <xbit,  before  this  time, 
to  bear  Co  rigorous  a  diCcipline  as  they  were  ap- 
pointed to  introduce  into  it. 

Inftead  of  delivering   themCelves,   like    Chrifl 
and  the  apoftles,  in  ccnr.e&edand  calm  diCcou:  fes, 
Montanus  and  his  followers  were  thrown  into 
lent  convulfions;  and  in  this  Rate  uMere  o„ 

xvhich  their  hearers  CuppoCed  to  be  from  iftfpiration; 
But  while  their   admirers  thought  it  to    pro 
from  a  good  Cpirit,    others  attributed  u   to    a  bad 
one*. 

The  idea  of  the  peculiar  excellence  of  aufterity 
and  mortification  did  not  begin  with  the  MoMa- 
niils.  For  in  this  they  only  followed  Tartan* 
whoCe  diCciples,  fro«i  this  circumftance,  obtained 
the  appellation  of  Keratites,  voluntarily  abfhaning 
troru  whatever  was  thought  unnecifTarily  to  gratify 
the  corporeal  appetites,  fuch  as  flefli  meat,  and 

wine, 
*  Eufeb,  Hifti  Lib.  v.  Cap.  16.  p.  2Cy. 


^3° 


THE  HISTORY  OF  THE  P*r.  Ill; 


wine,  even  in  the  celebration  of  the  eucharift,  and 
objecting  alfo  to  marriage.  Thefc  notions  Tatian 
probably  got  from  the  Valentinian  Gnoftics,  to 
whole  doclrine  he  was  in  fome  meafure  addi&eil ; 
and  a]  he  Giiofiics  profefTcd  to*hold  in  contempt 
every  thing  of  a  corporeal  nature.  Tatian  was 
fucccvdc  by  Severas,  andlrom  him  the  Encratites 
wer<  "called.  Severiansf. 

Tat  taught  his  principles  firft  in  Mefopata- 
mis,  b  they  prevailed  molt  in  An'.ioch,  and 
thenc:  .ticy  paffed  into  Cihcia  and  Pifidia;  and  as 
this  w  as  prio  to  the  time  of  Montanus,  there  can 
be  little  doubt  but  that  he  uas  one  of  thele  Encra- 
tues.  According  to  Epiphanius,  this  feci  was  form- 
ed  in  the  twelf:h  year  of  Antoninus  Pius,  and  was 
eflablifhed  in  a  part  oi  Phrygia,  of  which  Monta- 
nus was  a  nativef . 

That  perfons  of  Montanus's  turn  of  thinking 
Jbouia  miftake  the  natural  emotions  of  their  own 
minds  for  divine  impulfes,  is  not  at  all  extraordi- 
nary. This  we  fee  to  have  been  the  cafe  with  per- 
fons of  all  religions,  heathens,  mahometans,  and 
chrifMans.  We  find  even  at  this  day  how  unwil- 
ling men  of  good  fenfe  in  other  refpecls  are  to  give 
up  all  idea  ot  fupernatural  alTiilance,  or  of  invifible 
miracle's,  fuch  as  are  incapable  cf  any  proper  proof, 
|  eci  lly  upon  extraordinary  occafions.     V/hcn 

they 

*  :         :      Ull.  Lib.  iv.  Cap*  52?.  r.  193. 

t  Li      : /.  :>e.cwi.  p.  39i.     Kser.  46.  Se&.i.  p.  S99. 


.  Sr  c  III.      CHRISTIAN  CHURCH;      ttf 

they  fee  men  make  great  exertions,  cither  in  d  ring 
or  fuffenng,  they  are  apt  to  imagine  that  th<        we 

the  aid  ol  m   re  power  than  their  own.     TJ        ire 

even  apt  to   think  fo  with  refptQ   to   \\\m\,  cs. 

|  Tiic  early  chriftians  had  this  idea  with    reipeffc  to 

the  power  of  bearing  torture  in  martyrdom  ;  whe/e- 

as  the  natural  powers  of  man,  and  the  j         iples  q£ 
chriftianity,  will  appear  to  thofe  who  confider  the 
force  of  them,  abundantly  fufficient  for  all   that  we 
read  of   men  having  borne,  or  done,  in  thofe  cir. 
cumftances. 

The  opinion  of  the  natural  weafcnefs  of  the  hu- 
man mind,  and  of  the  neceflity   of  foreign  aid  to 
produce  any  thing  great  or  good,  is  the  foundation 
of  all  that  enthufiafm,  which,  in  all    ages,  and  to 
this  very  day,  has  been  the  difgrace  of  chriftianity. 
The  whole  of  the  Calviniftic  doclrine   of  the  new 
birth,  or  as  it  is  called,  the  work  of  God  in  the  foul 
of  man,  is  butit  upon  it.     It  was,  in  -fa&,  the  fame 
ignorance  of  the  powers  of  nature,  and  the  idea  of 
the  perpetual  interference  of fuperior  powers  in  all 
the  affairs  of  men,  which  laid  the  foundation  of  the 
whole  fyftem  of  Paganifm.     Hence  the  perfuafion 
of  the  influence-of  the  fun,  moon,  and  (tars, in  all 
events,  and  then  that  of  dead  men  in  the  concerns 
of  the  living;   and  hence  all  the   Orange  rites   and 
ceremonies  which  have  ever  been   imagined  to   be 
proper  to  gain  the  favour  of  thofe  imaginary  pow- 
ers. 

Where 


232       THE  HISTORY  OF  THE  Per.  III. 

Where  there  is  this  ignorance  of  nature,  and  of 
true  philofophy,  preiences  to  infpiration  will  eafl- 
1)  gain  credit.  Thus  the  violent  agitations  of  the 
Heathen  pi  lefts,  and  the  fimilar  ones  of  the  Mon- 
tarifts,  of  the  French  prophets,  and  of  the  early 
Ouakers  contributed  to  produce  the  perfuafion  of 
their  being  under  fome  fupernatural  impulfe;  and 
the  fame  is  generally  thought  in  ihe  Euft  to  be  the 
caufe  of  the  ravingf  of  madmen. 

Farther,  as  men  are  apt  to  admire  what  they 
find  difficult  to  practice,  auflerity  of  manner  and 
rigour  of  difcipline  have  always  been  popular. 
This  we  fee  in  other  religions  befides  the  chriflian, 
as  in  the  cafe  of  the  Fakirs  of  Indoftan,  and  the 
Denizes  among  the  Mahometans.  This  it  was 
:..»>  chiefly  recommended  the  Novatians,  who  bor- 
row H  much  from  the  Momanifts.  It  has  alfo  been 
the  chief  recomrp-r Nation  of  the  monaflic  difci- 
pline and  c\l ;^ciaily  the  more  rigorous  kinds  of  it. 

The  principal  followers  cf  Montanus  were  two 
women  of  fortune,    Prifcilla  and    Maximilla,   j 
alfo  Quintilfa  mentioned  by  Epiphanius,  who  all 
pretended  to    the   gift   of  prophecy  ;   but  though 
Maximilla  foretold  the  appv  of  wars  and  tu- 

mults, it  was  obOrved  that  nothing   of  that  k 
happened  from  ihe  time  of  her  death  till    tmrteen 
years  a-ter. 

Thefe  two  women  were  faid  to  have  been  mar- 
ried, but  to  have  divorced  themfelves   from  their 

ha  (bands 


Sec.  III.     CHRISTIAN  CHURCH.         233 

hufbinds  when  they  appeared  as  prophetcfTcs,  and 
this  thev  are  faid  to  have  encouraged  in  others  who 
were  difpofed  t^  join  them*.  They  were  both  na- 
tives of  Pep u fa  in  Phrygia,  and  they  called  this 
place,  and  alfo  Tymium,  by  the  na'.ne  of  Jerufa- 
letn  ;  as  if  that  was  to  be  the  centre  of  a  new  and  pu- 
rer mode  of  worlhip,  and  the  place  where  the  chrif- 
the  place  to  wait  for  the  defcent  of  the  fpirit.  From 
fttans  weie  of  the  nativity  of  thefe  women,  the 
Montanifls  were  fometimes  called   PepuGanst. 

This  feet  fpread  chiefly  in  Afia  Minor,  where 
it  arofc,  and  in  Thyatira  there  was  hardly  any  o« 
ther  chriftianity  profeffed  J  ;  but  it  extended  it- 
felfalfoto  other  places,  and  fome  very  diflant 
ones,  efpecially  Africa,  where  it  was  embraced  by 
the  celebrated  Tertullian.  Montanus  had  feveral 
other  followers  of  eminence  befides  thefe,  efpe- 
pecially  Aleibiades  and  Theodotu&§. 

When  the  extravagances  of  the  Montaniils 
fpread,  as  they  foon  did,  into  diflant  countries, 
they  were  ftrenuoufly  oppofed  by  the  more  fober 
part  of  the  chriftian  world;  anong  others,  Sotas 
bifhop  of  Anchialus  in  Thrace,  taking  it  for  grant- 
ed that  it  was  an  evil  fpirit  that  had  got  poiTefBon 
of  Prifcilla,  endeavoured  to  exorcife  her,  and  in 
Vol.  I.  F  f  conjunc- 

*  Eufeb.  Hift.  Lib.  v,  Cap.  18,  p.  23* 

f  Ibid,  Lib.  v,Cap.  18,  p.   23  4. 

J  Epiphanii,  Hscr.  5i,  Sec.  32,  Opera  Vol.  i,  p.  4.5$ 

§  Eufeb  Hift.  Lib,  v,  Cap.  3;  p.  212. 


234         THE  HISTORY  OFTHE  Per.  III. 

conjunction  with  other  bifhops  he  excommunicat- 
ed her.* 

Several  fynods  or  councils,  were  alfo  herd   in 
Afia  Minor,   efpecial  ly  oris  at  fconiufn,  in  which 
Firmilian  prefidfeS,  in  virhfeh  Hie    Moataniils  were 
excommunicated,    and   the  bapttfm  adminiftered 
by  ftiem  declared  to  be  null  t    On  this  thev  form- 
ed feparate  focieries,  calhag  themlelvos  the  fpiriiual 
and  other  chrfftiam  carnal.     Ic  is  faid  that  Victor 
bifhop  of  Rome  foi  forne  time  favoured  them,  and 
received  than  into  His  communion.  Their  church- 
es  were  fmall,  but  numnoiis.  and  the/  foon   dtvii 
ded  into  a  great  variety  of   feels,  which   cannot  be 
wondered  at,  confidering  the  principle  on   which 
they  fepaiatcd  from  other  chriuians.      Pretenfions 
to  infpiration  being  incapable  of  proof  would    be 
various  and  difcordant  ;    aud    they  who   profefied 
to  be  guided  by  a  divine  fpirit,  would  not  yield  to 
the  con  rou)  oi  their  brethren, 

By  the  enemies  of  the  Montar.ifls-  many  things 
were  laid  to  their  charge,  which,  being  the  rcverfe 
or  their  general  principles  and  maxims,  we  can- 
rot  fuppofe  to  have  had  any  foundation  in  truth, 
fuch  as  the  ftudious  ornamenting  of  their  p*rfonsf 
playing  at  dice,  the  love  of  money,  Sec.  J  I  only- 
mention 

*  Ibid,  Lib.  v,  Cap.  19,  p.  237.     Epiph.   Iiccr.  48, 
Opera,  Vol.  i,  p.  402. 

f  Cypriani  Epift.  75,  p.   226. 

J  Eufeb,  Htflf.  Lib.  v,  Cap,  18,  p.  235. 


Sec.  III.       CHRISTIAN  CIIURCi!.        245 

mention  thefe  things  to  Blew  wli.it  al  furd   ralurn- 
were   1  i'-'i  '.    proj         ed,  an  J    b  Sieved,  <  on- 
cerniog  pert  ns,  who,  on  otl  er  accounts,  had  m 
them fe Ives  obnoxious,    and  with    what  allowa 
we  (hould  tread,  jyha    Butebius    and   other   am 
writers  fay  of  the  (•  unites,  the  Uni- 

tarians in  general,  the  fytauicl  aeani,  &c  hat 

was  afterwards  laid  of  the  Anaos  an  I  otj 

With  refpeel  to  the  doctrines  winch  then  be- 
gan to  divide  tie  chrjftian  world  relating  to  the 
peiTon    of   Chnfl,    the    Monte      •  \     '      I  ".; 

that  was  peculiar  to  themfeWes  ;  f>'it  n  an)  of  them, 
as  well  as  other  chriilians  m  tha)  age,  weic  Unita- 
rians.  Such  was  Praxeas,  againll  whom  Tcrtujljan 
wrote,  and  there  were  fo  many  Others  of  them  wfeo 
retained  the  Unitarian  doctrine,  that  by  latei  wri- 
ter the  Montanifis  in  general  are  fometimes  ch; 
ed  with  piofeffing  it.     But  the  Mpntanjfls  do   not 
appear  to  have  had  many  perfons  ci  learning    a- 
mong  them  ;   and  as  to  the  unlearned,   and  com- 
mon people,  it   is  evident,  from  the  ackaowlefjg- 
ment  of  Tertullian  and  others,  that  in  this  age, 
to  a  much  later  peiiod,  they  were  almoil  univ  ( 
]y  Unitarians,     According  tq  ithor  oJ 

Append;:-  '.v  Teitullia.  tife  Be  prefer ij.li- 

they  were  L\:)y  the  followed  Ef- 

cbines   wjio  were  Unitarians,   ivhil  1  - 

Ipwed  Proclus  were  ol  .  '•  n *,      For 


236      THE  HISTORY  OF  THE  Per.  III. 

thefe  perfons  difiinguifhed  themfelves  as  leaders 
among  the  Montanifts,  and   were   at  the  head   of 
what  may  be  called    feparate  fchools.     Eichines 
was  the  earlier  of  the  two. 

Some  of  the  Montanifts  difiinguifhed  them- 
felves as  writers.  Among  them  were  Piifciila  and 
Maximilla,  whofe  writings  were  confidered  in  as 
high  a  degree  as  the  icriptures  themfelves.  What 
Tertullian  has  written  concerning  the  human  f< 
in  his  treatife  on  that  fubjecl,  is  chiefly  duiv, 
from  the  fuppofed  revelations  in  their  books.  No 
writer,  however,  contributed  fo  much  10  increafe 
the  reputation,  and  the  number,  of  the  Montanifts, 
as  Tertullian  himfelf,  though  none  of  his  works  that 
are  now  extant  contain  a  regular  defence  of  their 
principles.  Patrcclus  wrote  in  defence  ol  Monta? 
fiifm,  but  his  treatife  is  not  now  extant. 

The  writers  againft  the  Montanifts  were  chief- 
ly Apollinaris  of  Hicrapolis,  Miluades  of  Athens, 
Serapion  of  Antioch,  and  Cains  who  anfweied  Fa« 
tree! us'-.  To  thefe  jerom  adds  Rhodon  a  difci- 
ple  of  Tatiarju  But  as  Eufebius  gives  a  pretty 
large  account  of  his  writings,  and  makes  no  mention 
of  any  fuch  treatife  of  his,  it  is  not  very  probable 
that  he  wrote  any  thing  on  the  fubjec~L 

It  does  not  appear  that  this  feci  met  with  any 
particular  oppofitic;n  in  Alrica  -,  but  it  was  loon  loft 

in 

*  Theod,  Han  Fab,  Lib.  iii.  Cap,  ii.  Opera  Vol. 
}y.  p.  22 r. 


Sec.  IV.       CHRISTIAN  CHURCH.      *37 

in  that  of  the  Novatians,  and  afterwards  that  of  the 
Doii'Uids.  It  appears,  indeed,  to  have  been  on  the 
decline  foon  alter  the  time  of  Tertullian,  and  we 
find  no  mention  of  it  after  the  fifth  century.  I 
have  therefore  chofen  to  given  all  that  I  have  iound 
to  fay  about  it  in  this  one  place. 


SECTION   IV. 

Of  the  Origin  of  the  Doctrine  of  the  Trinity. 


J.  HE  period  of  which  I  am  now  treating 
will  be  for  ever  noted  for  the  introduction  of  a  doc- 
trine which  led  to  lhat  of  the  Trinity,  as  it  is  now 
held  in  all  eftablifhcd  chriltian  chu:ches,  and  which 
may  jufl]v  be  called  the  greateft  of  all  thecorrupti- 
ons  of  chriflianity,  as  it  infringes  upon  that  funda- 
mental and  molt  important  of  all  doctrines,  the  unity 
of  God,  in  the  perfor?  of  the  fupreme  Farther.  This 
was  the  work  of  the  Platonic  philofophers,  who 
when  they  embraced  chriflianity  retained  much 
of  their  former  tenets  ;  and  the  rather,  as,  in  their 
opinion,  chefedotUitios  contributed  to  enhance  the 
dignity  of  the  head  of  their  new  religion,  fo  that  he 
might  with  propriety  be  denominated  God,  as  well 

as 


238        THE  HISTORY  OF  THE  Per.  III. 

as  man.  And  the  greater!;  objection  to  the  chrifti- 
an  religion  in  all  the  early  ages  was  .  the  mcanne  s 
of  its  founder,  viz.  a  crucified  malcfaclor. 

According  to  Plato,  there  are  three  principles 
ty»p%«*V*<  hfe  termed  them,  in  ihcunivnfe.  The  good, 
or  the  fuprenn  mind,  the  vov$,  his  intellect,  cr  *~dk«$, 
and  \l>vyji,  or  the  foul  of  the  world.  The  fecond  of 
thefe  principles,  Pfeilo.  the  learned  Jew  of  Alex- 
andria, called  log^s,  a  term  borrowed  from  the 
fcriptures,  in  confequence  cf  its  bring  there  faid, 
that  the  world  was  made  by  the  word,  or  logos,  of 
God.  as  Plato  had  madehis  (>cvg)  ideas  or  intelligi- 
ble world,  to  be  the  immediate  toil  fee,  or  caufe  of 
the  vifible  univerfe.  In  the  application  of  thefe 
prin<  pies  to  the  lew  fh  religion,  the  legos,  that 
i  i ■ ..  rjjic  pie,  horn  which  the  univtife  origi- 

nate •  ght   to   be  fomething   emitted  from 

the  iC   mind,   and  capable   of  bci^g  diawn 

into  it  again,  as  a  ray  of  light  was  then  conceived 
to  be  with  refpeQ  to  the  fun.  This  divine  ray,  or 
emanation,  was  fuppafed  not  only  to  have  made 
the  Wprld,  but  alfp  to  have  appeared  to  the  patri- 
archs, to  have  delivered  the  lav.  from  mount  Sinai, 
and  to  have  been  that  bright  cloud,  cr  glory, 
\  the  f)  mbol  of  the  divine  piefence 
in  the  tabernacle  and  the  temple. 

To  this  doclrine  the  pla  .  g  chrillians  ad- 

ded, that  this  divine  lay,  or  logos,  v-  as   peimanept- 
3y  attached  tc  tl     }        n  pi  J,cfas  Cjiiift;  and  this 

emanation 


Sec.  VI.     CHRISTIAN    CHURCH. 


-39 


emanation  being  of  the  dRnce  of  Go .-],  Chi  id, 
t'lK-y  (aid,  mighf,  on  this  acconnt,  be  propcilyc.il- 
led  God.     According  to  the fephilofophi zing  chrif- 

tians,  therefore,  the  whole  perfon  of  Ch rift  confid- 
ed ol  three  parts,  viz.  a  body,  a  proper  human 
foul,  and  alfo  this  divine  uncreated  logos  ;  fo  that 
he  was  both  God  and  man.  But  then,  as  the  lo- 
gos was  only  fuppofed  to  be  fomething  emitted 
from  the  fupreme  mind,  juft  as  a  ray  of  Light  is  from 
the  fun,  they  were  always  careful  to  fpeak  of  Chrifl 
as  a  being,  who,  though  he  was  prope.ly  divine, 
was,  neverthelefs,  far  inferior  to  the  Father,  as  a 
beam  of  light  is  to  the  fun.  And  they  were  the 
more  careful  to  do  this,  that  they  might  nor  give  too 
much  offence  to  the  great  body  of  chriflians,  who 
were  juftly  alarmed  at  a  notion  which  looked  fo 
like  a  violation  of  the  greater!  doclrine  of  all  revela- 
tion, that  of  the  unity  of  God. 

The  opinion,  of  a  divine  ray.  called  the  logos, 
being  permanently  attached  to  the  man  Jefus,  and 
configuring  a  proper  part  of  his  perfon,  appears 
full  in  the  writings  of  Juflin  Martyr,  who  had  been 
a  Platonic  philofopher,  and  who,  when  he  became 
achriftian,  continued  to  be  a  great  admirer  of  Pla- 
to.     Afterwards,   many    other    learned  chrifl- 

ecially  thofe  who  were  educated  at  Alexandria, 
where  the  Platonic  philofophy  was  principally 
taught,  adopted  the  fame  notion  ;  and  by  this  means 
tbey  dtftuxguiGied  themfelves  from  the  unlearned 


24o       THE  HISTORY  OF  THE  Per.  III. 

chriftians,  as  holding  a  more fublime  do6lrine  than 
they  were  capable  of  comprehending.  The  doc- 
trine of  the  Gmple  humanity  of  Chrift  they  conu- 
cered  as  milk  fit  for  bibes ;  but  that  of  the  divinity, 
as  meat  for  Jtrong  ?nen.  This  was  the  conftant 
language  of  the  learned  chriftians  for  many  ages. 

It  is  evident,  however,  that  the  new  doclrine, 
though  thus  qualified,  and  ingenioufly  explained, 
gave  much  offence  to  the  great  body  of  unearned 
chriftians  ;  and  even  many  of  the  mod  diftinguifh- 
ed  tor  their  learning,  in  every  period,  protefted  a- 
gainft  it,  But  at  length  they  were  overborne  by 
the  majority  of  the  learned  bifhops  and  clergy, 
and  by  them  this  f)  ftem  was  in  time  fo  far  unprov- 
ed, or  rather  changed,  that  Chrift  was  afferted  to  be, 
in  ail  refpecls,  equal  to  God  his  Father. 

Juflin  Martyr  himfelf,  when  he  firft  advanced 
his  opinion,  did  it  with  great  diffidence,  without 
the  leaft  cenfure  of  thofe  who  thought  differently 
from  him,  and  even  with  the  air  of  an  apology,  as 
for  fomething  that  he  was  apprehenfive  might  give 
offence.  «'  It  will  not  follow,"  fays  he*.  "  that 
11  he  is  not  the  Chrift,  though  I  fliouM  not  be  a- 
*f  ble  to  prove  that  he  pre-exifted  as  God,  the  fon 
"  of  him  that  made  all  things,  and  that  he  became 
"  a  man  by  the  virgin.  It  is  proved  that  he  is  the 
<;  Chrift,  th§  fen  of  God,  whoever  he  was,  though 
ri  1  fhould  not  prove  that  he  pre  exifted,  but  wTas  a 

man 
*  Dial.  p.  233, 


Sec.  IV.     CHRISTIAN  CHURCH.         *4t 

11  man  of  the  fame  paffions  with  ourfelves,  having 
"  ilcih,  and  being  fubjc&  to  his^ather's  will.      It 
"  will  be  right  to  fay,  that  in  this  only  I  have  been 
11  mttlakeu,  and    not  that  he   is  not   the    Chrifr, 
I  jugh  he  mould  appear  to  be   a   man,  born  as 
"  other  men  are,  and  to  be  made   Chrifl  by  elecli- 
11  on.      For  there  are  fome  of  our  race"  (meaning 
probably  the  Gentile  chriftians,  for  all  the  Jewifh 
chriftians  are  well  known  to  have  held  this  opinion) 
"  who  fay  that  he  was  a  man  born  like  other  men. 
"  With  them  I  do  not  agree,  nor  mould    I  do  fo, 
"  though  ever  fo  many,  being  of  the  fame  opinion, 
"  mould  urge  it  upon  me,   becaufe  we  are  com- 
"  manded  by  Chrifl  himfelf,  not  to  obey  the  teach- 
"  ings  of  men,  but  what  was  taught   by  the  holy 
"  prophets  and  himfelf." 

It  is  plain  that,  according  to  the  unitarian  doc- 
trine to  which  Juftin  here  alludes,  Jefus  was  the 
fon  of  Jofeph,  as  well  as  of  Mary.  It  is  therefore 
probable,  that  this  was  the  opinion  of  the  unitari- 
ans, that  is,  of  the  chriftians  in  general,  at  this  time  ; 
and  that  the  doclrine,  of  the  miraculous  concep- 
tion, as  well  as  thofeof  the  pre-exiftence  and  divi- 
nity of  Chrifl,  arofe  about  the  fame  period. 

Trypho,  in  his  reply  to  Juflin,  gives  a  decided 
preference  to  this  doctrine  of  the  proper  humanity  of 
Chrifl,  without  a  miraculous  conception,  to  any 
other.      »■  They,"  fays  he*,  i;  who  fay  that  he  was 

Vol.  I.  G  g  "  a  man 

*  Dial  p.  233. 


*42       THE  HISTORY  OF  THE  Per,  III. 

"  a  man,  born  like  other  men,  and  that  he  became 
"  of  Chrift  by  ele&ion"  (that  is,  by  the  appointment 
God)  "  feem  to  hold  a  doctrine  more  credible 
"  than  yours.  For  al1  of  us  expect  that  Chrift 
"  will  be  a  man,  and  that  Elias  will  come  to  anoint 
M  him.  If,  therefore,  this  perfon  be  the  Chrift,  he 
««  muft  by  all  means  be  a  man,  born  like  other 
"  mm." 

The  comparifon  of  the  deity  to  the  fun,  and  of 
his  energies  to  the  rays  of  light,  emitted  from  him, 
and  drawn  into  him  again,  had  unfortunately  been 
adopted  before  juflin  Martyr,  by  fome  who  were 
properly  unitarians,  A  divine  ray  of  this  kind  they 
fuppofed  was  emitted  at  the  creation.  The  fame, 
they  faid  was  the  glory  which  appeared  to  Mofes, 
and  the  patriarchs,  and  to  have  conftituted  thofe 
appearances  which  are  denominated  angels.  A  ray 
of  this  kind  they  fuppofed  likewifeto  refide  in  Jefus 
Chrift,  and  that  by  this  he  worked  miracles  while 
he  was  upon  earth,  but  that  it  was  withdrawn  from 
him  when  he  afcended  into  heaven.  Some  of  them 
might  go  fo  far  as  to  fay,  that  fmce  this  ray  was 
properly  divine,  and  the  divinity  of  the  Father, 
Chrift,  who  had  this  divine  ray  within  him.  might 
be  called  God,  but  by  no  means  God  different 
from  the  Father.  They  are  moreover  charged 
with  faying,  that  the  Father,  being  in  Chrift, 
fuffered  and  died  in  him  alfo,  and  from  this  they 
got  the  name  of  Patripajpans.     But   Beaufobre, 

with 


Sec   IV.       CHRISTIAN   CHURCH.      243 

with  great  probability,  fuppofes  that  this  was  only 
what  their  adverfaries  charged  them  with,  as  the 
ncceflary  confequencc  of  their  opinions.  It  is  not, 
indeed,  certain,  fince  none  of  their  own  writings  aie 
extant,  that  they  ever,  in  any  fenfe,  called  Chri(t 
God.  Their  faying  that  this  divine  ray  was  in 
Chrift,  was  nothing  more  than  expreffing,  in  the 
philofophical  language  of  the  times,  that  the  pre- 
ienceand  power  of  God  the  Father  was  with  Chi  ill, 
and  that  this  power,  and  not  any  proper  power  of 
his  own,  was  that  which  worked  the  miracles.  Juf- 
tin  Martyr,  who  mentions  this  opinion*,  fays  noth- 
ing of  thofe  who  held  it  calling  Chrift  God,  and 
muchlefs  of  their  maintaining  that  God  (uffered. 
This  opinion,  however,  of  the  divine  p  /  \  er 
or  energy,  which  was  in  Chrift,  being  only  a  di- 
vine ray  emitted  from  the  Supreme  Being,  and 
drawn  into  him  again,  Jufttn  difapproved  ;  fup- 
pofing  that  after  it  was  attached  to  the  perfon  of 
Chrift,  it  was  never  withdrawn  from  him.  He 
would  not,  however,  fay  that  this  divine  ray,  though 
permanently  attached  to  Chrift,  and  making  an  ef- 
iential  part  of  his  perfon,  was  ever  properly  fepa- 
rated  from  its  fource,  and  in  this  confiiis  the  ab- 
furdity  of  the  neiv  do&iine.  This  opinion  of  his 
he  illuftrates  by  two  companions  ;  the  one  that  of 
Jpeech,  or  logos,  which  was  the  more  convenient  for 
his  purpofe,  as  this  was  the  very  terra  made  ufeof  by 

Philo 
*  Dial.  p.  412 


*U        THE  HISTORY  OF  THE  Per.  III. 

Philo  to  denote  this  divine  ray  by  v/hich  the  worlds 
were  made.  As  fpeech,  conveying  a  meaning, 
fays  he,  goes  forth  from  one  man  and  enters  into 
others,  by  which  they  comprehend  his  meaning, 
while  the  fame  meaning  flill  remains  in  the  perfon 
who  fpeaks,  fo  the  logos  of  the  Father  continues 
entire  to  himfelf,  though  it  be  imparted  to  Chrift. 

He  alfo  illuftrates  this  transferring  of  divinity 
from  the  Father  to  the  Son  by  one  lamp  lighting 
others,  without  lofing  any  of  its  fplendour. 

The  natural  inference  from  both  thefe  compa- 
rifons  would  be,  that  divine  beings  were  multiplied, 
becaufe  a  lamp,  though  lighted  by  another,  is  a 
perfectly  diftincl  lamp  ;  and  fpeech  alfo,  or  mean* 
ing,  communicated  to  another  perfon,  is  numeri- 
cally different  from  that  which  remains  in  him 
who  communicated  it?  and  they  continue  indepen- 
dent of  each  other.  But  Jurlin  and  his  followers 
were  careful  not  to  purfue  this  comparifon  fo  far  ; 
and  they  all  maintained  that  fpeech,  or  meaning, 
though  transferred  to  another,  was  flill  the  identi- 
cal fame  meaning  that  was  in  the  other  j  and  that 
the  light  of  the  iecond  lamp  was  not  another,  but 
the  very  fame  light  with  that  of  the  firft.  By  this 
fubtle  jtiiftindion  they  though!:  to  avoid  the  charge 
of  making  more  gods  than  one,  which  no  believer 
in  divine  revelation  would  bear.  On  the  other 
hand,  the  philofophical  Unitarians  admitted  of  no 

diftin&ion 


Sec  IV.       CHRISTIAN  CHURCH.      245 

d'flin&ion,  or  difference  whatever,  between  the  di- 
vinity of  the  Father  and  that  which  was  in  the  Son  ; 
fo  that  their  adverfarics  always  charged  them  with 
confounding  the  perfons  of  the  Father  and  the  Son, 
as  the  Avians  were  charged  with  Jepar at: ng  them. 

That  Juflin  Mart)  r'*  do&rine  of  tfae  divinity 
of  Chnfl  was  little  known  at  the  time  thai  he  wrote, 
is  pretty  evident  from  the  confideration  of  another 
production  of  the  fame  age,  which  with  refpeci  'o 
ingenuity  and  information,  is  not  inferior  to  any  or 
the  writings  of  thofe  who  are  ufualiy  called  the  Fa- 
thers. I  mean  the  Clementine  Homilies,  which  is 
properly  a  theological  romance,  in  which  the  wric^ 
er  perfonates  Ciemens,  afterwards  bifhopot  R  jme  ; 
and  in  an  account  of  his  travels,  and  thofe  of  Peter 
and  Simon  Magus,  intermixed  with  a  variety  of 
other  incidents,  he  introduces  all  the  theological 
knowledge  of  the  times.  The  author  of  this  work 
not  only  appears  to  be  an  unitarian  himfelf,  and  of 
courfe  reprefents  Peter  and  Clemens  as  luch,  but 
he  never  fo  much  as  mentions  fuch  an  opinion  as 
that  of  Juflin  Martyr,  though  he  had  the  faireft 
opportunity  of  doing  it. 

When  he  introduces  Simon  difputing with  Pe- 
ter on  the  plurality  of  Gods,  one  fupreme  and  the 
reft  fiibordinate,  and  urging  as  an  argument  ad  ho- 
mincm,  that  this  kind  of  plurality  may  be  proved 
even  from  the  fcriptures,  as  from  Cod  laving,  Let 
us  make  man;  Peter  replies,    that  in   this  u  God 

"  fpakc 


>M6       THE  HISTORY  OF  THE  Per.  III. 

«'  fpake  to  bis  own  wifdom,  which  is  his  fpirit  uni- 
«  ted  as  a  foul  to  God-;"  that  is,  he  fpake  to  him- 
felf;  whereas  Juftin  Martyr,  and  all  the  advocates 
of  Chrift  being  the  logos,  would  have  faid  that 
this  fpeech  was  addrelTed  to  the  logos,  or  Chrift. 

Tuftin  and  his  followers  vindicated  the  proprie- 
ty ot  Chrift  being  called  God,  as  he  was  the  uncrea- 
ted logos  of  the  Father;  but  in  this  work  Peter 
fays,*'  To  us  there  is  one  God,  who  made  all 
"  things,  and  governs  all  things,  whofe  fon  Chrift 
"  is."  Again  "  Our  Lord  never  faid  that  there  was 
{;  any  other  God  befides  him  that  made  all  things; 
"  nor  did  he  ever  call  himfcli  G.d,  but  pronounced 
t:  him  bleffed  who  called  him  the  Son  of  Godf." 
This  was  in  anlwer  to  Simon,  who  had  faid  that, 
according  to  the  rule  laid  down  by  Mofes,  Chrift 
ought  to  have  been  rejected,  either  as  a  falfe  pro- 
phet, or  another  God. 

In  this  work  it  is  likewife  alleged  as  an  argu- 
menc,  why  a  being  produced  even  from  the  iub- 
fiance  of  God  by  way  ot  generation  (for  fuch,  ac- 
cording to  the  philofophy  cf  the  times,  was  the 
origin  of  all  Joids,  both  of  men  and  angels)  ought 
not  therefore  to  be  called  God,  that  "  he  v\ho  is  not, 
<c  in  all  lefpecls.  the  fame  with  any  other,  cannot 
<;  Le  intitled  to  the  fame  appellation.  It  is  the 
"  property  of  the  Father  to  teget}  and  ol  the   Son 

"  to 
*  Horn,  xvi.  Sect.  12.  p   7 27. 
■f  Ibid,  xvi,8e£t.   15,  p.  723. 


Sec.  III.         CHRISTIAN  CHURCH     2i7 

"  to  be  begotten.   But  that  which  is  begotten  can- 

•'  not  be  compared  with  that  which  is  unbegoiten  or 
felf- begotten."  This  is  the  very  reverfe  of  the  doc- 
trine of  Juflin  Martyr  and  his  followers,  who  obtain- 
ed the  name  of  orthodox.  For  they  maintained  the 
propriety  of  calling  Chrifl  God,  becaufe  lie  wjs  be- 
gotten, or  produced  from  the  fubftance  of  the  Fa- 
ther, though  inferior  to  him  ;  God  of  God,  light  of 
light,  as  it  is  exprefTed  in  the  Nicene  creed. 

Let  any  perfon  now  judge,  whether  the  author 
of  this  curious  work  could  have  written  in  this 
manner,  on  maxims  fo  diametrically  opooGte  [to 
thofe  of  the  fuppofed  flandard  orthodoxy  of  his 
times,  without  at  leafl  making  fome  mention  of 
them,  or  alluding  to  them.  It  is  therefore  aimed 
certain  that  this  writer  had  never  heard  of  fuch  a 
notion  as  that  of  Juflin,  and  that  this  v;as  the  rea- 
fon  why  he  took  no  notic?  of  it. 


s  e  a 


248       THE  HISTORY  OF  THE  Per.  Ill, 


SECTION    V. 

Of  the  State  of  the  Jews  in  this  Period,  and  the  Juh- 
fequent  ones,  collected  chiefly  from  Bafnage's  Hif 
tory  of  them. 


A 


FTER  the  deflruction  of  Jerufalem, 
the  Jews  were  governed  by  Patriarchs,  the  firfl  of 
whom  that  is  known  to  us  lived  in  the  time  of  A« 
drian.  He  was  defcended  from  Hillel  who  lived 
in  the  time  of  our  Saviour  ;  and  this  dignity  con- 
tinued  in  his  family  till  the  year  429.  His  refi. 
dence  was  at  Tiberias,  where  the  Jews  had  an  aca- 
demy for  the  fludy  of  their  law. 

This  patriarch  had  under  him  feveral  officers, 
feme  of  whom  are  alfo  called  prtriarchs  in  the  laws 
of  the  Roman  empire  ;  but  their  jurisdiction  was 
confined  to  particular  places,  and  they  were  fent 
out  by  the  principal  patriarch  as  the  occafions  of 
his  government  required,  especially  to  collect  the 
tribute  which  every  fynagogue  paid  him.  This 
was  exacted  with  fo  much  rigour  that  complaints 
were  fometimes  made  of  it  tD  the  Roman  emperors. 
The  patriarch  had  likewife  the  nomination  of  the 
ruleis  of  fynagogues,    and   the    power  of  erecting 

new 


Sec  V.        CHRIS,  t  YNf  OHUfcCB,     tgg 

new  fynagdguei,  ab   well  ai     bit  of  deciding  all 

differences  relating  '  >  tnd  til  rpretatioftaf  i  ..law. 
This  po-ver  ot  ci\  fcfcirty*  :i  >w  '  igflgttes  was  forbid- 
den by  Chit  emperor  Thedd  bus  1 1,  as  wasalfo  the 
conv.  :  any  pterfoto  to  the  J ew ifh  rel 

The  Hi  (I  o'  thefc  patri  ;:chs.  of  whom  we  have 
any  ace  >Uflt,  and  probably  the  full  that  was  crea- 
ted, was  Gamaliel  II.  in  the  time  of  Ncrva  ;  the 
fecond  was  Simeon  III.  in  the  time  ot  Adrian  ; 
and  he  was  fuceeeded  by  his  Ton,  the  famous  Ju- 
dah  H  ifck  i  ioflf,  or  tht  holy  -vvho  lived  in  the  reigns 
of  Antoninus  Pius,  Marcus  Aurelius,  and  Corn- 
modus.  He  was  befrh  on  the  fanr:  «fcty  that  Akiba, 
a  famous  Jcw:fh  R  •« bhi,  c:cj,  which  was  in  the 
reign  of  Adrian  j  and  he  diftirtgtttflied  himfclf  by 
a  collection  of  the  decifion&of  the  ancient  Jewifh 
doctors,  cr  a  compilation  o(  a  bcWly  of  the  Jewifh 
canon  and  civil  h//,  called  the  M?Jhna,  probably 
about  the  year  180. 

Hillel  II.  a  defendant  of  Judith  IlakLidofhy 
was  the  auihor  of  the  Jpwifti  sera  ol  the  creation  of 
the  world,  the  year  3761  of  which  coiiefponds  to 
the  fiift  of  the  chtiffiah  aera.  He  alio  compoted 
the  Jewifh  cycle,  to  reduce  the  c  i:rie  of  the  fun 
to  that  of  the  moon,  by  means  ot  (even  intccalati- 
ons.  This  Hillel  governed  the  jwiOi  nation 
till  about  theye^r  385  j  and  the  lafl  ot  tbefe  pa 
archs  was  Gamaliel,    mentioned    by  Jerom  about 

Vol.  I.  li  h  a.  d,  392. 


25o       THE  HISTORY  OF  THE  Per.  III. 

A.  d.  392.   This  dignity  was  aboluhed  a.  d.  429, 
after  it  had  fubfifled  thiee  hundred  and  fif.yye.irs. 

To  thefe  patriarchs  fucceeded  Primates,  who 
were  elected  by  the  jews,  one  in  each  province  ; 
bur.  Theodofius  the  younger  ordered  the  contribu- 
tions which  were  made  tor  their  fupport,  and 
which  were  the  fame  that  had  been  granted  to  the 
patriarchs,  to  be  paid  into  the  public  ireafury. 

About  the  fame  time  that  the  Wefjern  Jews 
were  o-o^ern^d  by  patriarchs,  who  rended  at  Tibe- 
rias, theEaliern  jews  were  governed  oy  a  p^rfon 
who  was  {tiled  the  Prince  of  the  Captivity,  at  Ba- 
bylon. The  firft  of  thefe  was  Huna,  who  was 
contempory  with  Judah  Hikkadofh,  and  was  cho- 
fen  prince  of  the  nation,  a.   d.  220  or  222. 

The  Mifhna  of  Judah  Hakkadofh  being  im- 
perfeft,  its  defects  were  remedied  by  Jochanan, 
aflifted  by  Rab  and  Samuel,  two  of  his  difciples, 
and  they  called  their  work  Gcmara  ;  and  this,  ad- 
ded to  the  Mifhna,  makes  what  is  called  the  Talmud 
cf  Jerufalem.  The  defects  of  this  work,  R.  Ale, 
who  had  a  fchool  at  Sora,  near  Babylon,  endea- 
voured to  remove  in  another  commentary  on  the 
Mifhna  of  Judah;  and  his  commentary,  or  Gcma- 
ra, together  with  the  Mifhna,  rnskes  the  Talmud  of 
Babylon,  which  is  generally  fuppofed  to  ha\'e  been 
compieated  about  a.  d.  500,  o)  505.  This  Tal- 
mud the  Jews  afterwards  held  in  fuch  high  elieerri, 
that  they  even  preferred  it  to  the  fcriptures  ;  com- 

pan 


Sec.  V.         CHRISTIAN  CHURCH;       251 

paring  the  fetter  to  water,  and  the  former  to  wine. 
M  He  that  offends  againft  the  law  of  Mofcs,"  they 
fay,  "  may  be  pardoned  ;  but  he  who  <  Sends  a- 
"  gainft  the  dcciGons  oi  their  dodlors,  is  deferving 
11  of  death  " 

It  is  remaikable.  that  about  the  time  that  the  doc- 
trine of  the  trinity  tame  to  be  generally  profefTed 
by  learned  chriftians,  we  read  of  few  or  no  converts 
to  chriftianity  from  the  Jewsj  and,  no  doubt;  'he 
teaching  ot  fuch  a  doctrine  as  rhis,  fdfepugn  ml  to 
the  molt  fundamental  principles  of  their  rJ  'ion, 
mull  have  contributed  not  a  luile  <o  this  eflFeft. 
But,  indeed,  from  this  time  the  learned  chnflians 
appeal  to  rave  had  little  mtercourfe  w  ith  the  Jews, 
hardly  zny  of  them  taking  the  pains  even  to  learn 
Hebrew  ;  and  the  lame  in  general  has  been  the 
cafe   with  the    Jews  and  chriftians  to  the  prefent 

day. 

.» 

It  is  hoped,  however,  that  when  the  Jews  fhall 
fully  underftand  that  the  doclrine  ot  the  trinity, 
which  gives  them  fuch  great  and  juft  offence,  is 
rejected,  by  learned  and  well  informed  chriftians, 
fo  as  to  be  convinced  that  it  is  unqueflionably  a 
corruption  of  genuine  chriftianity,  they  will  give 
more  attention  than  they  have  hitherto  done  to  the 
hiftorical  evidences  of  chriftianity  ;  and  whenever 
they  do  this,  the)  ri  1  !  perceive  that  they  are  evert 
ftronger  and  dearer  than  thofe  which  they  i 
allege  for    the   divine   million   of    Mofes.     They 

will 


ft*!         THE  HISTORY  OF  THE  Per.  III. 


j 


will  alio  fee,  if  they  read  the  New  Tefiarcent  for 
themielves.  and  judge  of  it  without  prejudice,  that 
there  is  no  contrariety  or  opocfition  between  the 
t:vo  religions  \  bnce,  whenever  they  become  chrif- 
tians,  they  are  to  continue  fubjecl  to  their  peculiar 
laws  and  ritual,  as  Chnft  and  the  a  pottles,  who 
were  alfo  jevvs,  did  ;  and  chat,  ?>s  jews  there  is  re- 
ferved  tor  them  a  permanent  eftabii&ment  in  their 
own  country,  where  they  are  to  be  the  moft  diftifl- 
guifhed  nation  upon  earth.  For  fuch  is  the 
neceffary  interpretaiion  of  ail  the  ancient  prophe- 
cies. 


SECTION   VI. 

Of  the  Writers  within  this  Period, 

UiALL  row  give  a  flir.rt  account  of  the 
chnftian  writers  within  this  period,  nearly  m  the 
order  in  which  they  are  meniioned  by  Eufebius. 
The  fird  of  them  U  Ilegefippus,  whom,  indeed,  he 
placi  s  in  {he  time  of  Adrian.*  He  was  a  Jew,  and 
the  author  of  an  eccleliaftical  billon,  or  a  contin- 
uation 
5  Eufeb-  Hilt  Lib.  iv.  Cap.  8.  p.  150, 


Sec  VI.         CHRISTIAN  CHURCH     253 

uationof  the  A6h  of  the  Apoftle*,  written  in  a 
very  plain  flylc.  It  is  unfortunately  loft,  and  is 
by  fome  thought  to  en  negle&ed  on  account 

of  its  containing  Come  thingl  that  were  too  favoura- 
ble to  the  unitarian  docirn..  . 

Bp  fides     H  us    there   were  three   other 

lev.  1  writers  in  this  period;  viz.  Aquila, 

Theodotion,  and  S.  n  chus,  all  of  whom  diftin- 
guifhed   themfel  their    tra filiations  of  the 

Hebrew fcri  nto  Greek,  and  I  chufe  to  men- 

tion them  all  together,  though  the  laft  o4  them 
more  properly  belongs  to  the  next  period.  Aqui- 
la  is  faid  to  have  fl  >urifhed  a.  d    130    T  ;on 

in  180,  and  Symmachus  in  200.  Their  verfions  re 
quoted  with  great  refpecl  by  all  chriftian  writers, 
efpccially  that  of  Symmachus,  though  they  are  not 
now  extant,  except  that  ot  Daniel  by  Theodotion, 
which  is  that  which  has  been  generally  adopted 
inflead  of  the  LXX.  which  has  been  difcovered  ve- 
ry lately. 

Symmachus  wrote  a  commentary  on  the  gof- 
pel  of  Matthew,  in  which  he  endeavoured  to  dif- 
prcve  the  opinion  of  the  miraculous  conception  of 
Tefus*.  Aquila  alfo  and  Theodotion,  as  well  as 
the  jewifh  chrillians  in  general,  woe  probably 
unbelievers  in  that  part  of  die  common  gofpel 
hiftory,  as  Eufebius  fays  of  the/n,  that  c;  they  v. 

(:  [ewifh 
*  Kufc,  liia.  Lib.  vi.  Cap.  17.  p.  27?. 


2X*        THE  HISTORY  OF  THE   Per.  III. 

"  TewiQi  profelytes,  who  (the  Ebionites  following 
Ci  them)  believe  Chrift  to  be  the  fori  of  Jofeoh*." 

In  the  reign  of  Adrian  was  Agrippa  furnamed 
C^flor.      He   wrote  again  ft    Bafilides   the   GnoL 

ticf. 

Juftin    Martyr,  befkles  his   two   Apoligies  for 

chriftianity,  mentioned  before,  and  his  Dialogue 
with  Trypho  the  Jew,  proving  the  truth  of  the 
cbriftian  religion  on  the  principles  of  Judaifm, 
wrote  alfo  a  treatife  of  monarchy,  proving  againft 
the  heathens  the  unity  of  God,  the  fecend  part  of 
which  is  Hill  cxUnt.  He  aifb  wrote  anothe-  trea- 
tife a^aicft  the  G-ntiles,  another  on  her tfies,  ano- 
ther on  the  foul,  and  a  bock  intitled  Pfaites,  but 
they  have  not  come  down  to  us  J. 

Dion)  fius,  biihop  of  Corinth,  wrote  epiflles  to 
feveral  of  the  cbriftian  churches,  inculcating  good 
morals,  and  guarding  them  againft  herefy,  that  is, 
GnoRicifm.  He  particularly  commends  the  chrif* 
tians  at  Rome  for  the  aiL (lance  they  gave  to  thofe 
who  fi:fTered  for  their  religion.  He  complained 
of  feme  of  his  epiftles  being  corrupted^. 

One  of  the  epiflles  ol  Dionj  hus  was  addreffed 

Pinytus  a  biihop  in  Crete,  advifirig  him   not   to 

fe  on  the  brethren  the  yoke  cf  celibacy.      To 

this 

*  EufeJ}.  Lib.  v.  Cap.  8.  p.  221. 
••(  Ibid        "  .  iv.  Cap.  7.  p.  1  : 
%  Ibid.  IiiU.  Liu.  iv.   Cap.:  18.. p.    \7Q. 
I   Li!  ,  iv.  Cao.  23.  p.  1*85*. 


Sec.  VI.     CHRISTIAN  CHURCH.  — 

this  Penytus  wrote  in  anfwer,  tha:  wc  inufl  not  al- 
ways be  giving  niiik  as  to  h  brCS,  but  fbme  times 
meat  to  llrong  men*.  In  this  we  Le  the  p 
of  fupc-rftitiou,  and  the  fecret  influence  o(  thofe 
principles  ivhich  were  the  foundation  oi  Gn  fli- 
cifm,  and  of  the  doctrine  of  the  Encratites. 
ther  the  epiftle  of  Pinytus,  nor  any  of  thofe  of 
Dionyhus  are  extant. 

Ol  Theophiius  bifliop  of  Antioch,  the  fcv. 
from  the  apoftles,  there  are  now  extant  three  books 
addreiled  to  Autolycus,  againfl  the  heathen  religi- 
on. He  aifo  wrote  againfl  the  herefy  of  Ilermo- 
genes,  a  Gnoftic,  and  againfl  Marcionf.  He  is 
the  firfl  writer  who  ufes  the  word    Trinity* 

Philip,  bifhop  of   Gortyne  in    Crete    and  alfo 
Modeftus,  wrote  agair.fi  Marc'ion^. 

Melito,  bifhop  of  Sardis,  was  a  pretty  volumi- 
nous writer  ;  but  nothing  of  his  is  come  down  to 
us,  except  a  few  fragments  preferred  by  Eufebiuti 
Pie  wrote  a  treatife  on  E  tfter,  of  the  rule  of  life  cl' 
the  lives  of  the  prophets,  of  the  church,  of  the 
Lord's  day,  of  the  natural  formation  of  man,  of  the 
fubjeclion  of  the  fenfes  to  faith,  of  the  foul,  body, 
and  mind,  of  baptifm,  of  truth,  of  the  creation  and 
generation  of  Chrifl,  of  prophecy,  of  hofpitality, 
a  book  entitled  the  key,  of  the  devil,  of  the  reve- 

tion 

*  Eufeb.  Lib.  iv.  Cap-  23,  p.  186. 

Y  Ibid.  Hift.  Lib.  iv.  Cap.  24.  p.  187. 

X  Ibid.  Lib.  iv.  Cup.  25,  p.  1 


256       THE  HISTORY  OF  THE  Psr.  III. 

Ist'u  n  of  John,  oi  the  corporeity  of  God,  which 
he  is  faid  to  have  maintained  •  and  an  Apology  for 
ebfiftifofiit) ,  ad<'r«  fed  to  the  emperor  Marcus  An- 
torinus,  oi  which  an  extract  has    1  In 

one  oi  ins  wbiUs   i\  I  the 

canor tic  1  b&dftl  &i  the  Oid  Tefktocnt,  which  is 
pre;  Eufebius,     It  contains  *  en*  erf  tljftft 

that  we  call  apocryphal*. 

Apoiiinans,  bi-fhop  of  [-IJerapclis,  wrote  an  Apo- 
logy for  chnftianity  addrefled  to  Marcus  Antoni* 
rus,  a  treatifeagainft  the  gentiles,  on  truth,  againfl 
the  Jews,  and  againil  the  MonianifUt . 

Tatrari  tvasa  great  admirer  ot  Juftin  Martyr, 
but  after  Lis  death  he  adopted  fome  opinions  oi 
the  Gnoftics,  which  favoured  oi  too  great  aufterity, 
enjoining  abilineiiCe  from  animal  food,  and  aifo 
from  marriage.  His  iollowers,  called  Eacratites, 
are  alio  faid  to  have  had  an  aveifion  Jo  the  apoille 
Paul  and  his  writings.  Tatian  wrote  a  harmony 
e  gofpels,  and  many  other  works,  the  titles  of 
which  are  now  loft*  All  that  we  have  oi  his  works 
is  his  tr;  inft  the  Gentiles,  and  this  was  the 

moM  admired  ol  all  writings^. 

Mufatius,  oi  whom  we  know  nothing  befides 
ffce  frame,  wrote  again  ft  the  Enciatite^,  but  the 
work  is  not  now  extarit.  Barde- 

*  Eufeb.  Mift  Lib.  iv  Cap.  26,  p.  191. 

t  Ibid.  Lib  iv,  Cap   27,  p.  191. 

v  Ibid.  Lib.  iv,  Cap.  29, "p.  I 

j  Ibid,  Lib.  iv,  Cap.  2&?p.  19a. 


Sec.  VI.       CHRISTIAN  CHURCH.       257 

Bardefanes,  who  wrote  in  the  Syriaclangu: 
was  the  author  of  feveral  works,  all  of  which  are 
now  loft,  one  againft  M  ireion,  another  concerning 
fate,  and  6  l\v  uiie  re!  iting  to  nerfecution.  tic 
had  been  at  Rift  a  ful lower  oi  Vatehtfritts,  and  ac- 
cording to  Eufebius  always  retained  fomethi.ng  of 
his  fentimenis*. 

Lcnaeus,  bifhop  of  Liens,  was  a  difciple  of 
Polycarp,  when  he  was  very  old,  and  alfo  of  Papi- 
as.  We  have  in  a  Latin  franflktibnv  a  &fge  trea- 
tife  of  his  a'gattifl!  hereiy,  with  many  fragments  of 
the  original  Greek.  It  relates  almoft  wholly  to 
the  Gnoftics,  though  he  octtffitrtiaMy  and  very 
feverely  animadverts  on  the  Ebionitcs,  or  Jcvviffa. 
chnitians,  for  not  admitting  any  divinity  in  Chrift. 
He  alfo  w  rote  feveral  epiftlcs,  one  to  Blaftus  con- 
cerning fchifm,  another  to  Florinus  concerning  mo- 
narchy, to  prove  that  God  is  not  the  author  of 
evil,  and  another  to  the  fame  concerning  the  Og- 
doad  of  Valentinusf. 

Athenagoras,  an  Athenian  and  a  philofopl 
is  the  author  of  an  Apology  for  the  chriflians 
addrefled  to  Marcus  Aurclius  and  Commodus, 
and  alfo  of  a  Treatifc  on  the  Refurre&ion,  both 
now  extant,  though  he  is  not  mentioned  by  Eufe- 
bius or  Jerom. 

Vol.  I.  I  i  Rho^on 

*  Eufeb.  Hid.  Lib.  iv.  Cap.  30.  p.  195. 
j  Ibid.  Lib.  v-  Cap.  20.  p.  23T. 


258         THE  HISTORY  OFTHE   Per.  III. 

Rhodon  a  native  of  Afn,  but  educated  at 
Rome  under  Tatian,  wrote  againit  the  dilciples  of 
Marcion,  who  where  then  divided  into  feverai  feels. 
He  alio  wrote  a  treatife  on  the  woik  cf  the  iix 
days*.  ]erom  fays,  he  wrote  agamft  the  Monta- 
niits,  but  in  this  he  is  thought  to  be  miftaken. 
Nothing  is  extant  of  his  behdes  iome  extr.,6ls  pre- 
ferved  in  Eufebms. 

To  this  lift  of  writers  I  mud  add  the  unknown 
author  of  tne  preftnt  Sibylline    verfes,   which  were 
probably  compofed  at  different  times,  and  the  iaft 
additions  to  them  allude  to  the  emperor  Marcus 
Aurelius.     They  are   fir  ft  quo  led  by  Juftin  Mar* 
tyr,  and  what  is  not    a  little  extraordinary,    they 
were  received  by  him,  and  the  chriftian  writers  in 
general,  as  the  genuine  prophetic,  verfes,  or  oracles, 
of  thofe  women  who  went  by  the  name  of  Sibyls  ; 
whereas  nothing  can  be  more   evident    than  that 
they  are  the    work  of  fome  chriftian,  who,   from 
fome  very  wrong    motive,   endeavoured  to    avail 
himfelf  of  the  credit  they  had  obtained  for  the  fer- 

vice  of  chnftianity ,  which  (lands  in  no  need  of  fuch 
fupports. 

*  Eufeb.  Hift.  Lib.  vii,  Cap.  13.  p.  225, 


PERIOD 


Slc.VL         CHRISTIAN  CHURCH      259 


PERIOD     VI. 

fROM    THE    REIGN    OF     COMMODUS,   A.     D.    l  80, 

TO     THAT    UF    D  LCI  US,   A.    D      2  10. 


SECTION    I. 

The  general  Hiftory  vfthis  Period. 

V^OMMODUS,  who  had  neither  the  un- 
demanding, nor  the  bigotry  of  hi*  father,  did  not 
intercft  himfelf  in  the  affairs  of  the  chnftians,  any 
more  than  in  thofe  of  the  empire  in  general,  but 
abandoned  himfelf  to  the  mod  brutal  pleafures. 
In  confequence  of  this  the  chriflian  church  in  Gen- 
eral had  peace,  and  increafed  greatly,  and  many 
perions  of  rank  and  fortune  joined  the  chnftians. 
We  have,  however,  one  example  of  a  martyrdom 
in  this  reign  at  Rome,  and  there  may  have  been 
many  others,  of  which  we  have  no  account,  in  o- 
iher  parts  of  the  emj 

Apolionius,  a  Roman  fenator,  a  man  of  let- 
ters, and  attached  to  the  ftudy  of  philofophy,  was 
accufed  by  his  own  flave,  a  man  of  a  bad  charac- 


s6o       THE  HISTORY  OF  THE  Per.  IV, 

ter,  of  being  a  chiiftian  ;  and  being  brought  be- 
fore Perennis,  the  prefe6l  of  the  Praetorian  guards, 
he  was  by  him  referred  to  the  fenate,  of  which  he 
was  a  member.  But  tho'  he  there  made  an  excel- 
lent oration  in  defence  of  his  faith,  he  was  condem- 
ed  to  die;  the  law  which  ordained  that  a  perfon 
confefling  himfelf  to  be  a  chiiftian  fhould  be  put 
to  death  ftill  remaining  in  force.  The  accufer,  how- 
ever, was  femenced  to  have  his  legs  broken,  hav- 
ing been  guilty,  as  Eufebius  fays,  of  a  capital 
crime.  * 

Commodus  reigned  thirteen  years,  and  after 
him  Severus  eighteen.  In  the  firft  years  of  his 
reign  the  chriftians  continued  to  be  unmolefted, 
owing,  it  is  faid,  to  the  ir.fluet;ce  of  a  favourite 
Have.  But  afterwards,  for  what  particular  reafon 
does  not  appear,  he  allowed  the  persecution  ot  the 
chriftians  to  proceed  acebnJmg  to  the  (landing  laws. 
By  fome  this  is  accounted  for  in  the  following 
manner.  Albiiius,  the  competitor  of  Severus  in 
the  empire,  beinj  defeated  by  him  near  Lyons, 
that  city  was  nnf.idbly  lacked,  and  on  this  occafi- 
on  the  chriftians  fuffered  extremely,  after  they  had 

enjoyed 
*  Hift.  lab.  v,  Cap.  2%  p.  239.  What  this  capital 
offence  was  does  not  diftincUy  appear.  Some  interpre- 
ters fay  that  by  a  law  cf  M.  r.toivrus,  it  was  a  capital 
crime  to  accufe  a  perfon  of  being  a  chriftian,  though  at 
the  fame  time  it  was  de  i  ih  for  any  ]  erfon  voluntarily  to 
declare  himfelf  one.  But  this  is  fo  inccnfifiept,  that  it 
is  in  the  higheft  degree  improvable. 


Sec  I.  CHRISTIAN  CHURCH.      261 

enjoyed  a  flue  of  rep  >fe  of  thirty  years,  fn  m  the 
dreadful  pcrlVcution  mentioned  above.  In  this  in- 
tcrval  Ircmrus  had  been  made  bifhop,  and  L>y  his 
afliduity,  the  exemplary  lives  of  the  chriflians,  and 
cfpccially  their  fortitude  in  bearing  perfecution,  it 
is  faid  that  almofl  all  the  citizens  were  become 
chriflians.  If  this  was  the  cafe,  and  if  they  Lad  I 
en  the  part  of  Albinus,  it  will  not  be  thou 
traordinary  that  Severus  mould  have  been  exaf* 
perated  againfl  the  chriflians  in  general.  This 
happened  in  the  fixlh  year  of  his  rei     i. 

When,  after  this,  Scverus  fet  out  on  his  expedi- 
tion againfl  Peifia,  he  left  PJautian  prefect  of  the 
city.  This  was  a  man  who  had  been  raifed  from 
alow  beginning,  and  who  made  a  bad  ufe  of  his 
power,  efpecialJy  againfl  the  chriflians.  But  the 
perfection  was  general,  and  violent,  from  the  tenth 
year  of  Severus,  to  his  death.  According  to  Spar- 
tian,  Severus  made  laws  to  prevent  the  increafe  of 
the  Jews,  or  chriflians  ;  and  if  he  did  nothing 
more  than  this,  it  would  be  evident  that  he  bore 
them  no  good  will  ;  and  this  would  fufficiently 
encourage  thofe  who  were  difpofed  to  execute  any 
of  the  Handing  laws  againfl  tt 

Many  chriflians   fufFcred  for  their  religion  in 
Africa  in  this  reign.     Rutilius,   who  1: 
place  to  place,  and  who  had  given  money  to  fome 
foldiers  to  coi  at  his  efc  is  at  length  ap- 

prehended, and  though  grevioufly  tormented,; 


262       THE  HISTORY  OF  THE  Per.  IV. 

t-,o!:  *  '  aHve,  be  bore  the  whole  with  great  re- 

tion*.  Maviltt«  was  alio  condemned  by  the 
pi  confu)  Scapula  to  be  thrown  to  the  wild 
beaftsf. 

TJ  is  perfection  W3s  particularly  fevere  in  A- 
lexandna.  ana  in  Egypt  in  general,  where  the  mar- 
tyrs bore  torture  and  death  with  as  much  heroilm  as 
upon  former  occafions.  Ai  thia.  line  Ltomdas  the 
father  of  the  famous  Origen  was  beheaded  J. 

Origen,  who  was  then  very  young,  diit?nguifh- 
ed  himfelf  greatly  by  his  zeal  tor  chriftanity,  as 
well  as  his  learning.  He  pancularly  exhorted  all 
thofe  to  whom  he  had  accefs  to  bear  their  fu fit-r- 
ings with  fortitude  ;  and  ieveiul  ot  thofe  to  whom 
he  was  preceptor  behaved  with  the  greatefi  refolu- 
tion.  Sjme  of  them  are  particularly  mentioned 
by  Eufebius,  The  firft  of  them  was  called  Flu- 
tar,  ^s  Origen  attended  him  to  fhe  iaft,  he 
great  danger  of  fuffering .  1  rnfelf.  The  fe- 
cond  wras  Serenus,  who  was  burnefl,  the  third  H©- 
raclides,  and  ^fourth  He  on  ;  both  beheaded. 
The  fifth,-  much  torture,  was  behead- 
ed alfo.  The  fcxth  w--  a  woman,  Heros,  who 
was                          ie   feventh,  Bafiiides,   was  be- 

! 

There 

*  Tertull  fuga.  Cap.  v.  p.  538: 

ca]       na.  Cap   3,  p.  70. 
b.  Hift.  L  p-  i.  p.  257. 


Sec.  VI.     CHRISTIAN  CHURCH. 

.  Th<  ■        I  kabl     in    the  hi  (lory 

of  this  B  tfilid  «  d  w  ii  h 

celebrated  marl)  :     Pi 
diftinguiChi  d  foi  h  r  beau  v  and  chaftity,  at 

r  being    ni  ;«.  i   tirti  Mn  ■      ■.  ■  .\  :  ■     'iter 

with    her   mothler    I  pitch   being 

poured  over  th     i  f'  ii;;  head   to  foot    urhi 
bore  with  the  greateft  r 

been  threatened  with  proftttut  haJ  i 

protected  from  thewifu]  •     ies, 

who  was  'he  fofcherto  who  i  b    n 

committed.     Sh  ing   his  humank.  .    faid  fl:e 

would  reward  him  atier  her  death,  by  praying  for 
his  Ulvation.  Being  afterwards  commuted  to  cuf- 
tody  for  not  taking  the  military  oath,  becaufe  it 
was  an  act  of  idolatry,  and  being  afked  how  he 
came  to  be  converted,  he  faid  that  Potamiaena  had 
appeared  to  him  in  a  dream,  and  toid  him  fhe 
had  obtained  her  requeft,  and  that  he  would  foon 
be  taken  to  heaven*.  It  is  very  poflible,  fuch  was 
the  fu perflation  of  this  age,  that  this  woman  might 
make  inch  a  promife,  it  being  no  uncommon  thing 
fo  to  do ;  and  th  .  e  fo  imprefTed  the  mind 

of  this   man,    as   to   produce  his    dream,  without 
<iy  thing  miraculous  in  the  cafe, 
Severus  returning  in   triumph  to    Rome 
thefoldiers  who  at  ei  to  wear  up- 

on their  heads   on    that  occahon  ;    but  this  b.  ing 

declined 
*  Eufeb.  Hid.  Lib.  vi.  C  :■  2, 


26j       THE  HISTORY  OF  THE  Per.  IV. 

declined  by  one  of  them,  who  was  a  chriftian, 
and  who  chofe  to  carry  it  in  his  hand,  he  was  dif- 
miiied  from  the  ferviee,  and  commuted  to  prifon 
for  punifhment.  This  conduct,  offended  many  or 
the  chriflians,  who  thought  that  the  foldied  had 
provoked  the  emperor  unneceiTariJ-y  ;  but  Tertul- 
lian  wroiz  a  treatife  to  defend  his  conduct  and  of 
this  fome  account  will  be  given  hereafter. 

Caracaiia,  the  fon  of  S^verus,  who  reigned  fix 
years,  from  a,  d.  211,  to  a.  d.  217,  was  a  mon- 
itor of  wickednefs  and  cruelty,  but  he  fpared  the 
chriftians;  as  alfo  did  Heliogabalus,  a  man  of  a  fi- 
milar  character.  However,  the  laws  againfl  chrif- 
tians  being  unrepealed,  fome  governors  of  provin- 
touk  advantage  of  this  circum fiance  to  harrafs 
them  ;  and  forne  think  that  it  was  under  this  em- 
peror that  Scapula,  to  whom  Tertullian  addrefTcd 
an  Apology,  exercifed  his  feverities  in  Africa, 
Heliogabuus  being  a  Syrian,  and  determined  to 
:  god  of  his  country  (to  whom  he  had  been 
a  prieft)  and  the  rites  of  his  religion,  a  preference 
to  all  others,  was  the  occafion  of  many  perfons 
giving  their  attention  to  the  fubjeQ; ;  in  confequence 
of  which  they  were  led  to  ;'  folly  of  all  kinds 

of  idolatry,  and  came  to  embrace  chriftianity. 

The  reign  of  Alexander  Severus,  from  a.  d. 
222,  to  a.  d.  235,  was  peculiarly  favourable  to 
the  chriftians,  in'coafequence  of  his  mother  Mam- 
mae a,    an    excellent    woman,   openly    protecting 

them 


Sec.  T.  CHRISTIAN  CHURCH.      26r 


■) 


them,  though  it  does  not  appear  that  fhc  was  a 
chriftian.  Hearing  of  the  fame  of  Orig-n,  (hi 
lent  for  him  when  fhe  was  at  Antioch,  and  retain- 
ed him  with  her  fome  time*.  But  notwithstand- 
ing the  good  difpofition  of  the  emperor,  feveral 
of  the  governors  of  provinces  continued  to  harrafs 
the  chriftians.  Even  Ulpian,  the  famous  lawyer, 
is  faid  to  have  promoted  the  perfecution.  But  it 
it  is  not  at  all  extraordinary,  that,  being  a  Pagan, 
he,  as  a  lawyer,  fhould  encourage  the  execution  of 
the  laws,  and  be  defirous  of  fupporting  the  efta„ 
blifhed  religion. 

That  this  emperor  himfelf  had  a  refpeft  fcr 
Chrift,  is  evident  from  his  joining  him,  as  well  as 
Abraham,  to  Orpheus,  and  the  emperors  who 
had  been  deified,  and  performing  to  them  certain 
a&s  of  religion  in  his  private  chapelt. 

Maximin,  a  man  of  lavage  manners,  bavins 
fucceeded  to  the  empire  on  the  death  of  Alexander, 
was  an  enemy  of  the  chriftians,  on  account,  it  may 
be  thought,  of  his  predeceffor  having  favoured 
them  ;  but  he  only  ordered  that  their  minii: 
fhould  be  put  to  death.  Nor  did  the  perfecution 
extend  to  all  the  provinces  of  the  empire.  It  fell 
with  the  greateft  feverity  on  Pontus  and  Cappado- 
cia,  owing  to  the  particular  bigotry  of  the  prefi- 
Vol.  I.  K  k  dents 

*.Eufeb.  Hid,  Lib.  vi.  C.  21.  p.   28G. 
t  Lampridit  Vita.  Sec.  29,  p.  5-K),. 


266       THE  HISTORY  OF  THE  Per.  IV. 

dents  ot  thofe  provinces  ;  but  many  of  the  chrifti* 
ans  withdrew  from  them,  and  were  fafe. 

From  the  valuable  letter  of  Firmilian  to  Cy- 
prian it  appears  that  the  perfections  in  thefe  pro- 
vinces of  Afia  Minor,  arofe  from  the  popular  opi- 
nicn  that  the  dreadful  earthquakes,  with  which 
they  were  then  afflicted,  and  in  which  whole  cities 
were  fwallowed  up,  were  owing  to  the  chriftians  ; 
and  that  it  was  greatly  promoted  by  the  violence 
of  the  prefect  Seranianus*. 

Origen  is  thought  to  have  been  particularly 
aimed  at  by  Maximin,  but  he  efcaped  by  conceal- 
ing himfelf.  At  this  time,  however,  he  wro<e  his 
treatife  on  martyrdom,  and  addrefTed  it  to  Arnbro- 
fins,  one  of  his  pupils,  and  alfo  to  Proto&etus,  a 
prefby ter  of  the  of  the  church  of  Casfarea,  becaufe 
both  of  them  had  run  great  rifques  in  this  perfecu- 
tion,  and  had  derived  great  honour  from  their  be- 
haviour in  it.  Maximin  did  not  reign  more  than 
three  yearsf . 

We  read  of  no  perfecution  of  the  chriilians  dur- 
ing the  reign  ot  Gordian,  from  a.  d.  236,  to  a.  d* 
244,  or  in  that  cf  Philip,  from  a.  d>  244  to  a.  d. 
249,  with  which  I  (hall  clojfe  this  period  of  my  his- 
tory,    The  latter  of  thefe  emperors  is  fuppofed  by 

Eufe- 

*  Cypriani,  Opera,  p.  222. 

1  Eufeb.  Hift.  Lib.  vi,  tap.  z2.  p.  22$* 


Sec.  I.  CHRISTIAN  CHURCH.       207 

Eufebius*,  but  without  fufficient  grotta  I,  to  ha 

been  a  chriftiant. 

Thus  we  have  km  that,  in  this  long  period, 
there  was  no  fevere  or  general  perfecution  of 
the  chriftians  of  many  years  continuance,  thougli 
it  is  probable  that,  during  the  whole  of  it,  they  fuf- 
fered  confiderably  in  fome  particular  provinces, 
owing  to  the  bigotry  of  the  prefiden!?,  or  the  vio- 
lence of  the  mob.  However,  both  the  times  of 
peace  and  of  perfecution  were,  in  difFetcnt  ways, 
favourable  to  the  growth  of  chriftianity.  Perfecu- 
tion, betides  encreafing  the  zeal  of  the  chriftians, 
prelerving  the  purity  of  their  morals,  and  checking* 
the  violence  with  which  their  differences  among 
themfelves  would,  no  doubt,  have  other  wife  been 
carried  on,  excited  in  unbelievers  a  defire  to  know 
the  grounds  of  that  faith  which  produced  inch 
wonderful  efFecls ;  and,  as  Tertullian  obferves,  the 
ufual  effecl:  of  inquiry  was  conviction.  On  the 
other  hand,  when  times  of  peace  and  fecurity  re- 
turned, the  chnllians,  with  a  fervour  of  zeal  acquir- 
ed in  perfecution,  were  mofl  afliduous  in  Threading 
their  faith.  They  had  left  the  value  and  the  pow- 
er of  it  themfelves  ;  and  their  benevolence,  joined 
with  a  natural  defire  to  ftrengthen  their  party,  ma 
them  defirous  of  extending    the  blei  >f  it  to 

ctiers.  S  E   C- 

*  Ibid.  Hid.  Lib.  vi.  Cap.  3  I      .  2\ 

f  For         I  refer  to  Lardi    r's    [efli    onies,  Vol. 
iii,  p.  60. 


263      THE  HISTORY  OF  THE  Per,  IV. 


SECTION    II. 

Of  the  Sufferings  of  Perpetua  and  Feiicitas,  with 
thofe  of  their  Companions, 


i 


HE  martyrdom  of  Perpetua  and  Felici- 
tas,  with  that  cf  their  companions,  in  the  reign  of 
Severus,  is  fo  peculiarly  interefting,  that  I  havere- 
ferved  the  account  of  it  for  a  feparate  fe&ion. 
The  writer  cf  this  piece  is  unknown,  but  it  bears 
unqueftionable  marks  of  antiquity,  and  appears  to 
have  been  taken  in  part  from  the  notes  of  Perpe- 
tua herfelf.  It  will,  farther,  ferve  to  give  us  a  clear 
idea  of  the  manner  in  which  thefe  antient  perfe- 
ctions were  generally  conduced.  The  cafe  of 
Perpetua  is  juft  mentioned  by  Auftin*.  The 
iceneof  the  tranfa&ion  was  feme  place  in  Africa, 
probably  Carthage. 

On  this  cccaiion  there  were  apprehended 
three  young  men  of  the  clafs  of  catechumens,  viz. 
Saturninus,  Secundulus,  and  Revocatus,  with 
Felicitas  his  fellow  flave,  and  together  with  them 
Libia  Perpetua,  a  widow  of  about  twenty-two 
years  of  age,  of  a  good  family,  and  well  educated, 

who 
*  J)e  Anizna,  Cap.  55.     Opera,  Vol.  vii.  p.  504-. 


Sec.  II.      CHRISTIAN  CHURCH.  zG} 

who  had  a  father  and  mother  living,  tu  ■ 
(one  of  them  a  catechumen)  and  an   in 
bread. 

As  foon  as  Perpetua  was  infer; 
father  (who  alone  of  all  the  family  contii 
ten)  tiled  every    method  of    periuafion,  at; 
force,  to  induce  her  to  defift    from   her   pe; 
fufrVring  martyrdom,    fo  thsit,  ftw     I 
glad  when  he  left  her  ;  and  in  this  in 
the  reft  were  baptifed.     Some  days  aftei  this  l 
were  all  thrown  intoprifoo,  and  the  treatment  ins 
met  with  there  affe&ed  her  at  firft  very    n  ich 
the  darknefs  of   he  place,  the  great  heat  occafio      i 
by  the  number  of  prifoners,  the    rudenefs  ol       e 
foldiers,  and  efpeaally  her  anxiety  about  her  child. 
Two  deacons,    however,  Tertius  and  Pomp  m\  s, 
who  miniftered  to  their  wan  s    procured,  by    mo- 
ney, the  removal  of  ail  of   1!  era  into  a  more  airy 
part  of  the  prifon,  where  Perpetua  gave  fuck  to  iier 
child,  which  was  ready  to  die  for  want  of  it. 

In  this  fituation  Perpetua  comforted  her  mo- 
ther, and  encouraged  her  brother,  intru fling  to  him 
the  care  of  her  Ion,  and  was  as  happy,  fhe  faid,  as 
if  lhe  had  been  1:1  a  palace.  Here  fhe  had  a  re- 
markable dream,  from  which  (lie  concluded  that 
(lie  fhould  certainly  fuffer,  but  by  which  fhe  1 
notwithftandinL:,  greatly  encouraged  in  Uerrelau- 
tion. 

A 


2?0  THE  HISTORY  OF  THE  Per,  IV. 

A  few  davs  alter  this  there  was  a  report  that 
thefe  chriftian  prifoncrs  w:»u)d  fooa  be  called  before 
the  governor,  and  then  her  father,  in  great  grief, 
came  to  her,  iutreating  her  to  have  companion  on 
his  <rrey  hairs,  and  on  her  mother,  brothers,  and 
child,  which,  he  faid,  could  not  furvive  her.  This 
he  did,  killing  her  hands,  and  throwing  himfelfat 
her  feet,  which,  mewing  more  affection  than  he  had 
difcovered  before,  gave  her  great  concern.  Be- 
lides,  he  was  the  only  relation  (he  had  who  would 
not,  in  reality,  think  themfeives  honoured  by  her 
conduft  ;  but  (he  only  anfwered,  that  (he  was  at 
the  difpofal  of  God,  and  not  at  her  own. 

The  next  da/;  while  they  were  at  dinner,  they 
were  fuddenly  called  to  an  audience  in  the  public 
forum,  where  a  prodigious  croud  was  aflfembled. 
There  all  the  company  confeffed  that  they  were 
chriftians  ;  but  before  Perpetua  had  an  opportuni- 
ty of  doing  it  in  the  cuftomary  form,  her  father 
prefented  himfelf,  holding  her  child  in  his  arms, 
and  begging  that  the  Would  have  companion  upon 
him.  Alio  Hilarianus  the  procurator  (who  then 
aded  in  the  place  of  the  deceafed  pro-conful) 
joined  him  in   his  entreaties,    and    defired  her  to 

k  of  her  aged  father,  and  her  own  child,  and  to 

facrifice  for  the  fefety  of  the    emperor.     But  (he 

onlj  anfvfered  that  fhe  was  a  chnflian,  and  could 

not  do  it. 

Aftei 


Sec.  II.         CHRISTIAN  CHURCH      2ji 

After  this  the  father  was  ordered  to  defift,  and 
as  he  retired  unwillingly,  one  of  the  lienors  flruck 
him  with  a  rod,  which  affected  her,  fhd  faid,  as  if 
flie  had  been  (truck  herfelf.  Then,  having  all 
made  their  confeffion,  they  were  fentenced  to  be 
thrown  to  the  wild  beads,  notwithstanding  which, 
they  returned  witli  great  joy  to  the  prifon.  Thence 
fhe  fent  Pomponius  the  deacon  to  requefl  that  her 
child  might  be  fent  to  her  as  ufual,  to  befuckled  ; 
but  this  favour  was  then  relufed.  However,  fhe 
bore  the  cruel  difappointment  better  than  fhe  could 
have  expected. 

After  a  few  days,  Pudens  the  jailer,  being  dif- 
pofed  to  favour  them,  allowed  their  friends  to 
come  to  fee  them:  and  when  the  time  of  exhibition 
drew  near,  Perpeuia's  father  came  again  ;  when  he 
threw  himfelf  upon  the  ground,  tore  his  beard, 
and  did  and  faid  every  thing  that  could  have  a  ten- 
dency to  move  her ;  but  all  had  no  other  ei 
than  to  fill  her  with  pity  for  him. 

Our  author  now  proceeds  to  give  an  account 
of  fome  of  the  other  pnlbners ;  and  the  cafe  ot  Fe- 
licitas  is  almofl  as  interefting  as  that  of  Perpetua. 
Being  eight  months  gone  with  child,  fhe  was  much- 
concerned  led  her  execution  mould  be  put  off  till 
another  time,  and  that  then  fhe  mould  die  in  ths 
company  of  ordinary  malefactors.  The  idea  of 
going  without  her  affected  alfo  her  fellow  prison- 
ers.    But  three  days  before  the  exhibition  fhe  was 

delivered  ; 


s;2       THE  HISTORY  OF  THE  Per.  IV. 

delivered  ;  and  being  in  great  pain,  thofe  whd  at- 
tended her:  afked  her  how  fhe  fhould  be  able  to 
bear  wh^  flie  would  fulFerwhen  die  was  expofed 
to  the  wild  beads,  when  fhe  was  fo  much  affected 
wilh  the  pains  of  child- biriH.  "She  replied  that  iri 

cafe;  foe  was  left  to  herfelf,  but  that  in  her  o- 
tSeHufferings  fhe  fhould  have  another  to  fupport 
her,  even  htm  for  whom  fhe   fullered.     Being  de* 

;ed  of  a  daughter,  a  filler  oi  her's  undertook  to 

g  it  up.      Secundulus  died  in  prifon  ;  but  they 
I  been  joined  by  another  of  their  friends  called 

jus,  who  after  they  were  apprehended,  had  vo- 
hmtarily  furrendered  himfelf. 

e  day  before  the  exhibition  they  all  joined 
in  a  love  feaft,  with  their  chriftian  friends  who 
were  permitted  to  vifit  them,  in  the  prefence  of  ma* 
-v  ilrangers  whom  curiofity  had  brought  to  the 
place.  To  thefe  ihs  prifoners  cxprefsed  great  joy 
lea  of  their  approaching  fufferings,  and  en- 
deavoured to  engage  their  attention.  Saturus, 
particularly,  bade  them  obferve  their  countenances, 
that  they  might  know  them  all  again  the  next  day. 
From  this  extraordinary  fpeflaele   thefe  ftrangers 

ed  with  marks  of  aftonifhment,  and  many  of 

n  afterwards  became  converts, 

When  the  day  of  exhibition  was  come,  they  all 

t  from  the  prifon  with  erect,  and  cheerful  coun- 
tenances, trembling,  our  author  fays,  with  joy  ra- 
ther than   with  fear.     Perpetua  efpecially  walked 

in 


Sec.  IT.      CJIISTI AM  CHURCH.  273 

in  fuc']  a  m  rnn  ^r  .is  ft*  ick  th*  fo~6l  irors  with  parti* 
hollar  refpefit ;  and  Felicitas  rejoiced  that,  b*i n  t 
(I  .•■( jred  ol  her  child  fhe  could  accompany  her 
foe  1  Is  to  this  glorious  combat.  When  they  were 
arrive  \  at  the  J  ite  of  th  ?  amphitheatre,  the  officers, 
according, to  ruftom,  began  to  clothe  the  men  in 
the  dreiLs  of  the  pried  ot  Saturn,  and  the  women 
in  thole  of  the  prieftifTes  of  Ceres.  Bat  when 
they  rempnftrated  againft  the  injuflice  of  being 
compelled  by  force  to  do  that,  for  refilling  which 
they  were  willing  to  die,  the  tribune  gave  them 
leave  to  (offer  in  their  own  habits. 

They  then  entered  the  amphitheatre  ;  when 
Perpetua  advanced  Tinging  hymns,  and  Revocatus, 
Saturninus,  and  Saturus,  iblemnly  warned  the  peo- 
ple as  they  went  along.  When  they  came  in  view 
of  Hilarianus  the  proprietor,  they  (aid  "  You  judge 
M  us,  but  God  will  judge  you."  This  fo  provok- 
ed the  populace,  that  at  their  requeft,  all  the  three 
were  fcourged.  But  in  this  they  rejoiced,  as  hav- 
ing the  honour  to  (hare  in  one  part  ot  the  fufTer- 
ings  of  their  Saviour. 

When  the  beads  were  let  loofe,  Saturninus,  ac- 
Cordingtoa  wifh  which  he  had  previoufly  exprelfed, 
died  by  the  attack  ot  feveral  ol  them  ruining  upon 
him  at  the  fame  time  ;  and  Revocatus  was  killed 
by  a  leopard  and  a  bear.  Saturus  was  fir  ft  expof- 
ed  to  a  wild  boar ;  but  while   the  officer  who    at- 

Votu  I.  LI  tended 


2H      THE  HISTORY  Of  THE  Pe*.  IV, 

tended  was  gored  by  him,  fo  that  he  died  the  next 
dav,  he  was  only  dragged  about,  and  riot  materi- 
ally hurt.  Alfo  a  bear  (which  was  an  animal  that: 
he  particularly  dreaded)  to  which  he  was  next  ex- 
pofed,  would  not  go  out  of  his  den  to  meddle  with 
him.  But  at  the  end  of  the  exhibition  he  wa3 
thrown  in  the  way  of  a  leopard  ;  and  fo  much  blood 
sufhed  out  at  one  ot  his  bites,  that  the  fpcclators 
rediculed  him,  as  being  baptifed  with  blo.d.  How- 
ever, not  being  quite  killed,  he  had  the  prefenee 
of  mind,  when  the  animal  was  withdrawn,  to  fpeak 
to  Pudens  the  gaoler,  defiring  him  to  be  mindful 
of  his  faith,  and  not  to  be  difheartened,  but  encou- 
raged, by  his  fufferings.  He  even  took  a  ring 
from  his  linger,  and  dipping  it  inone  of  his  wounds, 
gavei?:  to  him  as  a  pledge. 

Perpe'ua  and  Fthcitas  were  fifft  inclofed  in 
nets,  and  then  expofed  to  a  wild  cov^.  But  this 
light  ftruck  the  fpeclacors  with  horror,  as  the  for- 
mer was  a  delicate  woman,  and  the  breafts  of  the 
latrer  were  fireaming  with  milk  after  her  delivery* 
They  were  therefore  recalled  and  expofed  in  a 
common  loofe  drefs.  Perpetua  was  fir  ft  toiled  by  the 
beafl,  and  being  thrown  down,  fhe  had  the  atten- 
tion to  compofe  her  drefs  as  {lie  lav  on  the  grout::!. 
Then  riling,  and  feeing  Felicitas  much  more  torn 
ihan  herfelf,  fhe  gave  her  her  hand,  and  afhftedher 
to  rife  ;  and  for  fome  time  they^  both  ft  :od  toge- 
ther near  the  gate  of  the  amphitheatre     Thither 

Perpetua 


Sec.  II.        CHRISTIAN  CHURCH.     s75 

Perpetua  fent  for  her  brother,  who  was  a  catechu- 
men, and  exhorted  him  to  continue  firm  in  the 
faith,  to  love  his  fellow-chriflians,  and  not  be  dif- 
couraged  by  her  fufferings. 

Being  all  in  a  mangled  condition,  they  were  ta- 
ken tolheufual  place  ot  execution,  to  be  difpatch- 
ed  with  a  fword  ;  but  the  populace  requeuing  that 
they  mould  be  removed  to  another  place,  where  the 
execution  might  be  feen  to  more  advantage,  they 
got  up  of  their  own  accord  to  go  thither.  Then, 
having  killed  one  another,  they  quietly  rcfigned 
themselves  to  their  fate,  In  walking,  Saturus  had 
fupported  Perpetua,  and  he  expired  the  firft.  She 
was  obf«rved  to  direct  a  young  and  ignorant  foldier, 
who  was  appointed  to  be  her  executioner,  in  what 
manner  he  fhould  perform  his  office. 


S  £  C- 


*;6         THE  HISTORY  OF  THE  Per,  IV. 

SECTION    III. 

Oj  the  Controversy  concerning  E(Jlcr, 

V^OMPARED  with  tie  fceres  whkr  I 
fin1!  be  obliged  to  bring  before  my  readers  in  fome 
fubiequent  periods  of  his  hiffoty,  the  ccntrover- 
fies  among  chnfliars  wi'bin  this  pericd  were  U  \\rs 
and  conducted  with  grea;  moderation  ;  thou;  h.  n 
cne  cccafion,  and  that  indeed  a  verv  flight  one.  we 
have  a  lamrntable  mflante  o!  ui  juli  liable  violence 
in  one  chiiftian  bifbop. 

The  only  feflival  that  we  find  any  mention  of 
in  the  fcriptures  (if,  indeed,  that  was  confidered  as 
zfejlival  in  the  earlieft  times)  was  the  Lord's  cay, 
obferved  in  commemoration  o\  our  Saviour's  ic- 
furreclion,  and  which  the  Gentile  chtiflians  obferv- 
cd  for  the  purpefe  of  their  aflemblies  for  public 
woifliip,  as  the  Jews  did  their  falba«h.  It  is  evi- 
dent, however,  that  very  feen  after,  if  not  before, 
the  death  of  the  apcflles.  for  the  fame  jeafon  that 
the  christians  had  obferved  a  weekly  commemora- 
tion of  the  refbrre&ion,  they  fell  into  thecuftctn  of 
holding  a  greater  annual  ore.  This  was  certainly 
natural  ;  and  except  that  one  obfervance  leads  to 
ptheis,  and  this  without  end  (fo  that  it  is  belt  upen 

the 


Sec.  III.        CHRISTIAN  CHURCH.     277 

the  who'c  to  keep  to  feme  dt  finite  rule,  as  that  of 
the  fcripturcsj  they  who  introduced  and  followed 
this  pia&iceof  obferving  Eaftcrcannot'be  blamed. 

Wry  foon,  however,  chriftians  in  different 
nieces  fell  into  a  cuftom  of  obferving  Eafler  en 
cliff  tent  days,  fome  in  the  E.fl  on  the  day  of  the 
Jewilb  paflbver,  or  the  fourteenth  of  the  month 
Nifan.  on  whatever  day  of  the  week  it  might  hap- 
pen to  be  ;  and  fhofe  in  the  Wefl  on  the  Sunday 
following  it,  becaufe  it  was  on  a  Sunday  that 
Chrift  role  from  the  dead.  It  had  alfo  been  the 
cuftom  to  let  apart  fome  time  tor  the  purpofe  of 
falling  before  this  great  feftival,  in  commemoration 
of  the  fuff<  rin^s  and  crucifixion  of  Chrift,  which 
had  preceded  his  refurre&ion. 

Unhappily,  it  wan,  from  very  early  times, 
thought  h^h?y  expedient,  in  crderto  preferve  the 
unity  of  the  church,  that  the  opinions  and  practices 
oi'idl  chnftians  fhould  be  the  fame  ;  and  therefore 
when  this  difference  C3rr.eto  be  noticed,  endeavours 
were  uled  to  promote  an  uniformity  with  refpecT: 
to  it.  With  this  view,  polycarp,  who,  according 
to  Irenseus,  had  been  ufed  to  obferve  the  fourte<  n  h 
day  of  thie  month;  together  with  the  apoftle  j  -  i, 
whofe  difciple  he  had  been,  made  a  journej  to 
R  :ne,  on  \  urpofe  to  confer  with  Anicetus  on 
fubjeft,  I  n  this  conference  each  of  thefe  bifli 
maintained  his  own  opinion,  and,  notwithftauding 
irhat  was  alleged  by  the  other,  determined  to 

here 


t7$       THE  HISTORY  OF  THE  Per.  IV, 

here  to  his  former  practice ;  but  they  agreed  that 
fuch  a  difference  as  this  fhould  not  break  the 
communion  between  the  different  parts  ot  the 
church  of  Chrift;  and  to  (hew  his  charity,  Anice- 
ius  defired  Polycarp  to  officiate  for  him  at  the  ce- 
lebration of  the  Lord's  fupper,  which  he  did,  and 
they  parted  wiih  mutual  goodwill. 

In  this  flute  things  continued  till  the  reign  of 
Commodus,  when,  fupeiflition  increafing,  move 
ftrefs  was  laid  upon  ritual  obfervances  than  in  for- 
mer times ;  and  a  feafon  of  peace  giving  the  chrif- 
tians  more  leifure  to  attend  to  the  differences  a- 
xnong  themfelves,  more  offence  was  taken  by  chrift 
tian  focieties  at  practices  which  differed  from  their 
own.  To  heal  thefe  differences,  f)  nods,  or  coun- 
cils, were  held  both  in  the  Eaft  and  in  the  Weft. 
Taofe  which  decided  in  favour  of  celebrating  Eaft- 
er  on  Sunday  were  the  following  :  two  in  Palest- 
ine, in  one  of  which  Theophilus,  bifhop  of  Ce  fa- 
res, and  in  the  other  NarcifTus,  bifhop  pi  Jerufa- 
km  prefided  ;  one  in  Pontus,  in  which  Palma, 
an  old  bifhop,  prefided  ;  one  of  the  crunches  ot 
Ofdroene,  and  its  neighbourhood  ;  one  in  Rome, 
where  Vidor  prefided;  and  another  of  the  church- 
es in  Gaul,  in  which  Irenscus  prefided;  Bacchyl- 
Iu€  alfo,  bifhop  of  Conon,  publillied  a  letter  in  fa- 
vour of  this  decifioja. 

But  the  bifhops  of  A  fist   proper,  in   a   fynod 
which  was  convened  on  this   pecanon,  decided  in 

favour 


Sec.  III.       CHRISTIAN  CHURCH       i79 

fivour  of  the  fourteenth  day  of  the  month  •  and 
Polycrates,  who  had  prefidcd  hi  it,  wrote  a  letter 
in  the  name  of  his  brethren,  to  Vi£lor,  bifhop  of 
Rome,  in  which  he  gave  him  their  rcafons  for  adher- 
ing to  the  cuflom  of  their  anceflors,  derived  from 
the  apoftlc  John  ;  adding  that,  not.vithflanding 
the  general  decifionin  favour  of  a  difFerent  prac- 
tice, they  thought  it  their  duty  to  obey  God  rather 
than  man. 

Victor,  who  was  a  man  of  a  violent  temper, 
on  receiving  this  letter,  would  have  declared  by  a 
folemn  fentence,  all  the  bifhops  of  Afia  cut  off 
from  the  communion  of  the  catholic  church,  and 
of  courfe  declared  heretics.  But  this  violence  was 
far  from  being  agreeable  to  thofe  bifhops  who  held 
the  fame  opinion  with  himfeli ;  and  among  them 
Iranaeus  wrote  an  excellent  letter  upon  the  fubjecr. 
expoliulating  with  him  on  the  unreafonablenefs  of 
breaking  the  communion  of  the  chriflian  church 
for  fuch  a  trifle  as  this  ;  alleging  that  there  were  o- 
ther  differences  among  them  as  great  as  this,  but 
yet  fuch  as  might  be  allowed  without  any  breach  of 
chriflian  hieedfnip.  They  differed,  he  faid,  about 
the  preceding  fa  ft,  as  well  as  about  the  day  of  the 
fc*ft  ;  fome  fading  one  day,  others  two,  and  others 
owe  y  and  foroejuft  forty  hours  (for  that  is  the 
moil  probable  fenfc  of  the  paflage)  differences 
which  arole  in  the  time  of  their  anceftora  ;  and  he 
concludes  with  an  account  of  the  friendly  confer- 
ence 


28o       THE  HISTORY  OF  THE    Per.  IV. 

ence  between  Polycarp  and  Anicetus  upon  the 
fubjefh  Irenaeus  wrote  alfo  to  other  bifhops  as 
v/ell  as  to  Viftor,  to  the  fame  purpofe. 

This  controverfy  ended  for  the  prefent,  as 
moll  others  have  done,  each  party,  for  a  time,  be- 
ing confirmed  in  his  own  opinion  and  pra&ice. 
At  the  council  of  Nice  we  fhall  find  the  prefent 
rule  for  obferving  Eafter~day  on  the  Sunday 
made  abfolute,  with  refpe£r.  to  all  the  chriftian 
world*, 


iiiMniiiirT'  .".r~  '  •  • 


SECTION     IV. 

Of  the  Gncflics  within  this  Period, 

HE  moll  confideraLIe  of  the  Gnoflics 
within  this  period  were  the  Marcionitef,  who  were 
much  divided  among  themfeives.  Rhodon,  the 
dilciple  of  Tatian  gives  an  account  of  a  conference 
which  he  had  with  a  Marcioniie  of  the  name  of 
Apelles,  whom  he  acknowledges  to  have  been  ve- 
ry rcfpe:8abJe,  both  for  his  year?,  and  his  virtue. 
He  owned  one   principle  of   all    things,    whereas 

Marcion 

*  Eufeb.  Hift.  Lib.  vi.  Cap.  23,  24,  p.  241,  &c. 


Sec.  III.       CHRISTIAN  CHURCH        *8i 

Marciofl  and  fome  others  held  that  there  were  two 
onginal  principles,  and  Tome  faid  there  were 
three.  He  (aid.  however,  that  the  prophets  were 
infpired  by  an  evil  being* 

According  to  Rhodon,  Apelles  was  not  a 
very  zeal,  us  Gnultic  ;  (o«  he  held  that  every  per- 
fbn  (hould  continue  in  t he  faith  in  which  he  was 
educated,  and  that  thecadiolies  might  be  faved,  it 
truy  had  good  works.  He  alfo  acknowledged 
that,  though  he  was  a  believer  in  one  principle, 
and  could  not  refill  the  conviction  of  there  be- 
ing no  more  than  one,  he  was  not  able  to  prove 
this  by  llrid  demonftration.  For  this  Rhodon 
derided    him  ;    and  yet   they  who  believe  in  the 

unity  of  God  on  the  principles  of  the  light  of   na- 

• 

ture  only,  are  not  able  to  advance  any  thing  more 
in  favour  of  it,  than  Rhodon  might  have  done  for 
his  one  principle,  which  was,  in  reality,  the  far^e 
thing*. 

*  Eufeb.  Hitf.  Lib.  v.  Cap.  13.  p.  22 >. 

Vol.  I.  Mm  SEC- 


82        THE  HISTORY  OF  THE  Per.  IV. 


SECTION     V, 


Of  the  Unitarians  within  this  Period. 


E 


^USEBIUS  introduces  an  article  r  lat* 
ing  to  the  Ebiomtes  under  ihe  reign  of  T  jan, 
which  will  equally  apply  to  this  period,  In  ihis 
chapter  he  (hews  himfelf  mod  violently  hpftile  to 
them,  on  account  of  all  of  them  holding  tjie  doc- 
trine of  the  fimple  humanity  of  Chnft,  though 
fome  of  them  admitted  his  miraculous  conception. 
None  of  them,  he  fays,  would  admit  that  he  v.  as 
the  logos,  or  the  wifdom  of  the  Father.  The  appel- 
lation of  Ebionites,  which  fignifics  poor,  he  fays, 
they  got  from  their  mean  opinion  concerning 
Chnft  ;  but  ius  much  more  probable  that  it  was 
a  name  impofed  upon  them  by  the  unbelieving 
Jqwss  either  on  account  ot  the  poverty  oi  the  great- 
er part  of  them,  or  from  the  contempt  in  which 
they  held  them.  "  An  evil  daemon/'  he  fa)  s, 
"  has  drawn  them  alide  thus  far  from  the  faith, 
i:  though  he  was  not  able  to  draw  them  from  the 

<;  faith 


Sec.  V.        CHRISTIAN  CHURCH.       283 

'«  faith  altogether.  Thev  were,"  he  fays,  <{  ri^id 
*'  obfrrvcis  ofthe  law  of  Mofes,  they  rejected  the 
"  epiftles  of  Pc.ul,  railing  him  a  deferter  of  ihe 
"  law,  they  made  life  ot  the  gofpel  according  to 
u  the  llcbrew.s  only,  and  oblcived  both  their  own 
"  f.«bba'h  and  th(   crn  (li   1    Lord's-dayV 

I  n  this  period  Eufcbius  gives  an  account  of 
a  pi  rion  who,  in  the  reign  ot  Severus,  wrote  againft 
the  bcrefy    as  he  calls  it,  of  Artemon,   who  lived 

he  reign  ol    Commodus,    a.  d.  185       In  this 
ife,  which  is    fuppofed    to   have  been  mil  en 
-    a  prefbytei  ol  R<ine,  and  10  have  been 
1;  lied  the  utile  Labyrinth,  the  opinion  ofthe    fim- 
lity  ot    Chrifl    was  cenfured  as   novel, 
the  writei  of  it  fays,   that  they   *ho  held  it 
m  liniaihed  that  it  was    the  oldeft   do&rine  of  ail, 
even  that  o1    the  apofths  themfelves,    and  that    it 
continued  to  he  the  prevaling  opinion  till  the  time 
ofVuior,  about    a.  d.  190.  but  that  in  the    time 
of   lis  (uccdler,    Zephyrinuq,  it  began  to  be   cor- 
rupted. 

It  is  femcthing  remarkable  that  we  have  no  ac« 
count  of  any  treatife  written  again  ft  the  unitarian 
doctrine  before  this,  which  was  about  twenty  years 
after  Artemon,  irom  which  circumstance  it  may  be 
clearly  inferred,  that  till  this  tune  this  do&rine  bad 
not  given  much  off  -  ce  ;  and  yet  that  it  had  ex- 
ifted  betore,  and  was    even  generally   prevalent,  is 

unde- 
*  Eufrb.  Kid,  Lib.  iii.  Cap.  %7.  p.  122. 


*§4        THE  HISTORY  OF  THE  Per.  IV. 

undeni  He.  It  W%s  fo  well  kno.vn  to  have  been 
to  in  the  time  of  the  ancient  chiiftian  write*  s,  that, 
in  order  to  account  for  it,  they  unanimoufly  ac- 
knowledged that  the  dc&rines  of  the  pre-ex'fkr  r/c 
and  divinity  o<  Chiift  had  not  been  taught  wi  h 
c  earncfs  and  c  fftdt  by  h  ap;  (lies,  and  o:  her  ear- 
ly pieache»s  of  the  gofpel;  baft  it  fhould  fla^ger 
thur  hearers,  and  efpecia;ily  thofe  ot  the  Jew.  fij 
r.?''rn  ;  ;  rd  theapcille  <  br;  they  faid  was  the 
fhft  who  clear]}  explajw  d  i-\  in  t!  e  firit  verfes  of 
firs  gofpel ;  which,  accorr'.-,  to  them,  was pubhfh- 
ed  alrrof}  twenty  y£a*s  ifter  the  defuuttion  of  je« 
derm  And  yet  t!  ere  is  ro  evidence  ot  any 
chc;;  —  pn^-!nced  in  the  opinion  of  the  chiif- 

tian  world  by  this  gofpe^  no  account  of  any  other 
writings  of  that  period  to  enhucethenew  doclrine 
of  John,  and  nothing  written  in  oappofilii  n  to  it  ; 
fj  that  it  is  very  evident  tha?  no  inch  cJ<  cir:r?e  was  at 
that  time  undeiftocd  to  bepubhfbtd  b>  him;  and 
therefore  the  hypothecs  oi  there  chi  ftian  lathers 
is  deftilute  of  all  probability.  The  fadt,  however, 
which  they  acknowledge,  of  the  univeifality  of 
urntarianlfts  at  the  time  of  the  publication  oi  John/ 
gofpel  mi  ft  remain  undeniable. 

What  the  unitarians  of  th*s  age   alleged  was 

fily    probable.  Martyr  pub!  find    she 

doctrine  of  the  \  re  <  :.{'..  i  ce  of  Chi.fr    as  the  logos 

of  the  Father,  ahcut  a.  r>    i  .c  etween  that 

time  and  that  ct  this  writer,  about   fevehty    years 

had 


Sec.  V.  CHRISTIAN  CHURCH. 

had  elap&d,  (o  that  it  is  probi  I 

iy  «,t  die  ham*  d  bilii  >ps  might  i&ow  have  i 

it,  b;it  not  much  !>  '  i  ;  and  il  was  Uill  t*pi  '  - 
t(d  with  gr^at  indignation  iv  1 1 . «  m .  j  >rm  el  the 
c  i ■•r.on  p  qple  who  ju Illy  thought  that  il  miring, 
ed  upon  the  ye  rine  pf  the  munardiy^x  . 

divini  y,  of  G^d  th<  Father.  This  is  io  evident 
from  a  paflage  oi  Tertuthan,  a  writer  within  the 
pciiod  ot  which  I  am  treating,  and  who  was  him- 
ftit  a  brinitanan  (fo  that  h  s  ac|  ^inent  muft 

hav.  ...  th  reluctance]  that  I  (h»H  recite 

the  pa£ige.  "  The  fimple,"  he  fay  6*,  "  the  igi  - 
"  rant  and  unlearned,  who  are  always  the  grea  er 
<;  part  ol  the  body  of  chnftians;  fince  tho  lule  of 
•£  faith''  [i he  apolUes  creed]  *' transfers  the  .. 
(;  ot  many  gods  to  the  one  true  God  ;  not  under- 
u  (landing  that  the  unity  ot  God  is  to  be  maintain- 
si  ed  with  trie  occonomy,  dread  \_cxp.qVfiWunt\ 
li  ceconomy  ;  iraagir.ing  that  this  nurriber  an  i  dtf- 
"  pohtion  ot  a  trinjty,  is  a  divjfion  of  the  unity. 
'•  They  therefore  will  have  it  that  we  are  worfhip- 
"  pcrs  (.'  .  nd  even  of  three  gods,  but  thai  they 

"are  the  worfliippers  of  one  God  only.  V  . 
"  they  {ay,  hold  the  ni< >i 

"  and  the  moil  ignorant  '  > 

■^i  out    lor     the    m  . .   as   il  th   p 

flood  that   Greek   word;    ;  -  ; 

i:  {[  .  es  will  no:  underftand  the  cecon   my/' 

*  Ad  Praxeam,  Sec.  3,  p.  502, 


s86         THE  HISTORY  OF  THE  Per.  IV, 

This  is  the  language  of  flrong  feeling  and  com- 
plaint, and  gives  us  the  cleareft  idea  of  the  ftatfc 
of  this  opinion  in  the  period  of  which  I  am  now 
treating;  clearly  proving  that  unu-ranifm  was  the 
cochineof  the  common  people,  and  thai  many  of 
the  learned  were  much  difpleafed  al  it. 

Eufebius,  to  prove  that  the  unitarian  dochine 
was  net  fo  ancient  as  the  unitarians  themfelves  pre- 
tended, alleges  the  writings  of  ancient  chrifhans, 
but  among  thefe  he  mentions  none  <lder  than  juf- 
tin  Martyr.  Ke  vindicates  Victor  Irom  the  charge 
of  holding  the  unitarian  doctrine,  on  account  of 
bis  having  excommunicated  Theodotus,  who  pro- 
Riled  it.  But  in  my  Hi/lory  of  Early  Opinions 
concerning  Chrijl;*  I  have  fhewn  that  it  is  far 
from  being  evident  that  Theodotus  was  excom- 
municated  as  an  unitarian,  efpecially  as  it  is  audit- 
ed by  the  writer  of  the  Appendix  to  Tertulliar/s 
treatife,  De  Prccfcriptione,  that  Viclor  was  a  fa- 
vouier  of  the  unitarian  doctrine,  as  the  unitarians 
themTelves  anerted. 

With   reipedl  to  this  writer  cgainil  the  unita- 
rians, viz.  Cams,  whoafTerted  the  novelty  of  theft 
opinion,  what  Eufebius  fays  concerning  him   will 
no!  add  to  his  credit  with  men  of  fen fe.     He  fays 
t  cne  Natalis  was  hired  fcr  a  ce:tain  flipcrd,  by 
itarians,  di Triples  of  Theodotus,   to    be   a 
on  of  their  church,  that  after  this  he  was  often 


reproved 


Vol.   ill,  p-  ZQ3, 


Sec.  V.       CHRISTIAN  CHURCH.         2b/ 

reproved   by    Chrift  in  a  dream  ;    but  ling 

this  admonicion  from  his  luve  ot  hon  mr  and  gain, 
he  was  grievoufly  bea'en  and  wounded  by  an 
a  whole  night  through  ;  that  riling  early  in  the 
morning  he  went  in  fackcloth  and  afhes,  and  with 
tears,  to  Zephyrinus,  throwing  himfelfat  his  feet, 
and  at  thole  o\  the  laity,  (o  as  to  move  the  whulc 
church  to  companion.  By  thefe  marks  of  contri- 
tion, and  (hewing  his  wounds,  he  was,  though  with 
difficulty,  reftored  to  the  communion  of  the  church. 
A  facl  like  this,  fays  the  writer,  would  have  brought 
the  Sodomites  to  repentance. 

This  writer  then  proceeds  to  charge  the  unita- 
rians with  not  troubling  themfelves  about  the  doc- 
trine of  the  fcriptures  ;  but  with  having  recourfe 
to  fyllogifms,  and  geometry,  bufying  themfelves 
about  terreftriai  things,  ignorant  ol  him  who  comes 
from  heaven.  Some  of  them,  he  fays,  ftudy  Eu- 
clid's geometry,  Ariftotle,  Theophrallus,  and  Ga- 
len. He  adds,  that  they  adulterate  the  fcriptures, 
and  publifh  copies  of  them  different  from  one  ano- 
ther, tha:  they  either  deny  the  infprration  of  the 
fcriptures,  and  are  therefore  infidels,  or  pretend  to 
be  wifer  than  the  holy  Spirit,  and  therefore  are 
poILHTed  by  daemons.  Some  of  them,  however,  he 
allows,  did  not  adulterate  the  fcriptures,  but  he 
fays,  they  rejected  the  law  and  the  p.ophets  all 
together  ;  and  for  the  fake  of  a  lawlefs  and  atheif- 
tical  doQrine,  on  the  pretence  of  grace,  they  rolled 

down 


28S        THE  HISTORY  OF  THE    Per.  IV. 

down  into  the  deeped  gulph  of  perdi-ion*.  WhaC 
credit  can  be  given  to  a  man  who  can  rail  in  this 
manner,  or  to  the  hidorian  who  can  quote  fuch 
things  with  approbation.  Honed  and  worthy  as 
Eufebius  might  be  in  other  refpe&s,  we  muft, 
afier  this,  pronounce  him  to  be  a  man  not  to  be 
trufted  when  he  writes  concerning  unitarians. 

In  this  period  Eufebius  gives  an  account  of 
another  unitarian,  viz.  Beryllus,  bifhop  of  Bodra, 
in  Arabia,  who  flourifhed  a.  d.  230.  He  is  faid 
to  have  maintained  that  the  divinity  in  Chrid  was 
not  his  own,  but  his  Fathers.  A  f}  nod  was  call- 
ed upon  the  fubjec^,  in  which  Origen  is  faid  to 
have  convinced  him  of  his  error.  The  a£h  of  this 
f>  nod  were  extant  in  the  time  of  Eufebius,  with 
the  queftions  propofed  by  Origen,  and  all  that 
p  died  on  the  cccafion.f  Ic  is  much  to  be  v.  idled 
that  they  were  extant  now. 

At  the  lame  time,  fays  Eufebius,  feme  chiidi- 
ans  in  Arabia  held  the  doclnne  of  the  foul  d)  ing 
wi:>h  the  body,  and  rifing  together  with  it  at  the 
refurrc£iion ;  that  a  fynod  was  called  on  this  ac- 
count alio,  and  that  Origen,  attending  arain, 
induced  thofe  who  held  that  opinion  io  abandon 
it£.  Thefe  are  maiks  of  primitive  ehriftianity, 
unadulterated  by  that  heathen  philufopny  to  which 

Oiigen 

*  Eufeb.  Hift.  Lib.  v.  Cap.  'is.  p.  25  1. 
t  Ibid.  Hift.  Lib    v  ,    Cap  o3,  p.  2j7* 

X  ibid.  Lib.  vi.  Cap.  37.  p.  29y. 


Sec.  VI.       CHRISTIAN  CHURCH         289 

Origcn  was  unhappily  (00  much  attach    1.      It  is 

n    t,  however,  to  be  wondered  at,  it   hi:.  uity 

a-   1  eloquence   fhould   pu2  i   file  nee  plain 

nun. 

T  )  this    Eufebius   fubjoins  an    account  of  the 
hercfy  of  the    }  ,  which,  he  fays,    was    ex- 

tinguifbed  almofl  as  loon  as  it  arofe.  They  feem 
upon  the  whole  to  have  been  Jevvifh  GnoQics, 
but  the  account  of  thern  is  very  imperfect  and  ob- 
fcure*. 


SECTION    VI. 

Of  the  Growth  of  Siipcrjlition  within  this  Period, 


B 


Y  the  writings  of  Tertulhan  we  are  able 
to  point  out  the  great  progrefs  which  fuperflition 
had  made  among  chrifiians  in  this  early  period, 
elpecially  with  refpeel:  to  baptifm  and  the  Lord's 
fupper  ;  the  application  of  the  elements  of  them 
being  confidered  not  merely  as  expreflive  of  fenti- 
ments  of  the  heart,  but  as  being  themfclves  of  a  fa  - 
Vol.  I.  Nn  cred 

*  Eufeb.  Hift.  Lib.  vi.  Cap.  38.  p.  300. 


!Q0 


THE  HISTORY  OF  THE    Per.  IV. 


cred  nature,  and  having  a  real  purifying  virtue,  fuch 
as  was  afcribed  to  fimilar  things  in  the  religion  of 
the  heathens.  Chriftian<alfoconGdcred  the  Lord's- 
dav  with  a  kind  of  refpecl  which  cannot  be  pro- 
nounced free  from  fupefrftitios,  and  the  ufe  which 
they  made  of  the  fign  of  the  crofs  is  certainly  de- 
ferving  of  the  fame  cenfure.  As  ihe  paflage  is  re- 
markable  and  inftruclive,  I  fhall  give  it  entire  from 
that  treatife  of  his  in  which  he  defended  ih^  conduct 
o(  the  foldier  who  refufed  to  a  wear  a  crown  in  a 
triumphal  proceflion,  as  mentioned  above.  His 
objecl;  is  to  (hew  that  many  practices  are  fufficient- 
]y  authorifed  by  tradition,  without  the  authority 
of  fcripture. 

Beginning  with  baptifm,  he  fays,  "  Before  we 
<:  90  to  the  water  we  declare  in  the  church,  before 
<:  the  bifnop,  tjrat  we  renounce  the  devil,  his  pcmp, 
"  and  his  minifters.  We  are  then  dipped  three 
*'  times,  faying  more  than  our  Lord  in  the  gofpel 
«<  prefcribed.  We  then  taile  of  milk  and  honey, 
"  and  from  that  day  abftain  from  our  ufual  wafh- 
"  incs  a  whole  week.  We  take  the  facrament  of 
"  the  Lord's  fupper,  both  at  the  ufual  time  of  eat- 
"  ing  and  alfoin  thofe  aflembiies  which  are  held 
<• before  day-break,  nor  do  we  take  the  elements 
from  any  other  hards  than  thofe  of  the  clergy;  'v. 
<;  annually  make  oblations  for  the  dead,  as  in  com- 
if  memontion  of  the    day   of  their   proper  birth'1 

i 


n  n 

■ 


Sec.  VI.     CHRISTIAN  CHURCH.  29* 

g  their  martyrdom]].  "  Wc  think  it 
"  wrong  to  I  tt,  or  to  kneel  on  the  Lord's-day,  or 
<l  in  ail  the  interv  »1  from  Eafter  to  Pentec  ft.  We 
"  aw  inxious  fefl  -ny  part  of  the  facramental  bt 
«•'  01  wine  fall  to  the  ground.  Wc  Ggn  ourfelvefi 
*  w\  h  the  fign  of  the  crofs  in  the  forehead,  wben- 
(i  ever  we  go  from  home  or  return,  when  we  put 
"  on  our  clothes  or  our  fhoes,  when  we  go  to 
"  the  bath,  or  (it  down  to  meat,  when  afe  light  our 
"  candies,  when  we  lie  down,  and  when  we  fit." 
For  all  thefe  obfervances,  he  fays,  we  have  no 
rule  befidcs  tiaditioi*.  It  wzs,  indeed,  a  great 
deal  that  chriftians  had  learned  of  this  new  mallei 
in  fo  (hort  a  time.  We  fhali  fee,  however,  that 
they  toDk  many  other  lellons  of  the  fame  kind  af- 
terwards. 

*  De  Ccrcna,  Sec.  hi,  p.  101. 


:  g- 


ag*        THE  HISTORY  OF  THE   Per.  IV, 


SECTION     VII. 

Of  the  Writers  within  this  Period. 

Y  the  writers  of  any  period  it  will  be 
eafy  lo  fauna  '  a  pf'the  fnlj>  els  v-  h-ch   engaged 

the  n  of  mankind    in  i h e   cemfe   of   it.      I 

clofe  the  account  of  every 
cjnfiderabie  dkinon  oi  fchifi  LiCory  with  a  brief 
account  of  them  ;  and  whht  Eukb-us  is  my  prin- 
cipal guide,  I  Hi  a  1 1  adhere  pretty  nearly  to  the 
order  in  which  he  places  them. 

Apollonius,  who  was  forty  years  old  when 
Tvlontanus  pubhfhed  his  prophecies,  wrote  again  ft 
him,  and  his  celebrated  followers,  Prifcilla  and 
MaximilJa.      He  was  replied  to  by.  Tertullian*. 

Theophilus,  biihop  of  Caefarea,  wrote  a  fi  no- 
dical epiftle  againft  thofe  who  celebrated  Eafter  at 
the  fame  time  with  the  jewsf.  On  the  lame 
fubject  Bacchylius,  biihop  of  Corinth,  wrote  an 
elegant  treatife,  in  the  name  of  all  the  bifhops  of 
Achaiat.      Polycrates,  bifhop  ol  Ephefus,    wrote 

in 

*  Lib-  v.   Cap.    18.  p.    225.      Jcrom  Catalogues, 

51. 

bid.  Car.*4.  Jlbid.Xap,  55 


Sec.  VII.     CHRISTIAN  CHURCH. 

in  (Science  of  the  Jew »(h  time  ol 

■  Hill   Victor,   bifhop   ot   Rome,  whi  bad 

written  on  the  farti€  fu-bj  61*. 

Pant  as  tud  was  a  S.cihan,  who  ! 
ic  philofopher.     He   piel   led  6vei    I 
Alexandria,  which   had  been  Long    efl 
infhutiicn  in    feed  literature,    and  wa    k     t  up 
till  the   time  ol    Eufebrus.      But    he   q  . . 
fchool  to  go  on  a  rarffi   n  to  preach    ti 
India,  where  h  I    the  difci 

Barthok>me    .  is  was  mentioned 
ing  from  this   rwiffi   n,    he  refumed  hi.^  cave  Oi 
Alexandrian    fch      ',  ote  forne  con 

ries  on  the  fcriptures,  which  arc 

I     \1    candria  was    e 
Fantacnns,  and  fucc  in  •     He 

wrote  a   mifcellaneous   woik,    c;  '.  in 

which  he  treats  of  the  true  principles     "know! 
and  which  contains  many  things  ag  ...  G     i  - 

ticso     But  when  he   wrote  his    In/i  \       : 

now  loft,  but  of  which  an  account  is  prel  ;ed  I  / 
Photius,  he  mufl  hare  been  a  Gnoftic  hirnfelf, 
as  it  contains   many     Gnofric    O]  -.      lie  a     i 

:ainft  thee:,  jrs  of  tl  reatife       i 

'  »>  and  I   ms  v      .  .  moral  traeU,  which  aire  , 
loft.     But  befidei 

*  Jerom  Catalog-as,  '  7f>. 

|  Eufeb.  Hift.  i.ib,  v.  Cap.  :;;.  .       .    , 


294  THE  HISTORY  OF  THE  Per.  IV. 

taticn  to  the  Gen  i!es,  and  a  fmall  piece  on  the  fal- 
vation  of  the  rich.* 

Of  the  writers  who  flourifhed  in  the  time  of 
Cofhmodus  Eufebius  juft  mentions  the  following: 
Heraclitus's  (by  Jerom  called  Heraclms)  com- 
mentaries on  the  apoflle,  meaning  Paul  ;  Maximus 
and  Apion  on  the  origin  of  evil,  and  concerning 
matter;  Candidus  on  the  work  of  the  fix  days; 
and  Sextus  on  the  refurreclion.  Eufebius  fays, 
in  the  fame  phtce.  that  'here  were  many  other  wri- 
tings, the  titles  of  which  he  did  not  know,  and 
and  many  of  them  were  anonymoust.  About 
fame  time  Brabianus  wrote  lome  fmall  pieces 
on  fubjecis  of  chrifttanity J. 

Judas  wrote  en  the  book  of  Revelation  in  the 
time  of  Severus,  and  judged,  from  the  feverity 
of  his  perlecution,  that  antichrilt  would  foon  ap- 
peai§. 

Scrapion,  biffiop  of  Antioch,  in  the  firft  year 
of  Cars,calla,  wrote  feveral  things  which  Eufe- 
bius had  not  feen  ;  but  he  mentions  a  letter  of  his 
to  Domninus,  who  in  the  time  ol  peifecution  had 
embraced  the  Jewifh  religion,  fotxie  other  epiuies, 

the 

*  Eufeb.   Hift.  Lib    v,   Cap    11,  p.   220.  Lib.  vi, 
Cap.  6.  p.  264.  Ibid.  Cap    13,  p.  271. 

j  Ibid.  Lib.  v.  Cap.  zT,  p   251. 

%  Jerom  Catalogue,  Cap.  (  2. 

-}  Eufeb.  liift,  Lib.  vi,  Cap.  7.  p.  264. 


Sec.  VII.      CHRISTIAN  CHURCH.'      £95- 

tbe  fabjecls  of  which   he  does  not  mention,  and  a 
on  the  gofpd  ol  Peter,  (hewing  the  falfity 
of  it,  as  containing  fomc  things  favourable  to  G, 
ticifro* 

Hippblytus,   probably   a   bifkop    in    Aral 
wrote   on    E after,  the  woilc  ol    the  h^  days,    the 
works   which    followed  the  fix  day  <     Mar* 

cion,    on  Solomon's   Song,  on    a  cha  Eze- 

kiel,  againfl  all  herefies,  and  o.hcr     ,         es  which 
Eufebius  had  not  feenf . 

Caius,  a  preftmer  of  the  church  of  Rome, 
wrote  againfl  Proclus,  a  defender  ol  the  Mo 
niftfii  He  condemned  therafbnefs  of  form  perfons 
in  compiling  the  books  of  feripture,  and  reckoned 
only  thirteen  epiftles  of  Paul,  omitting  that  to 
the  Hebrew*!-.  Me  is  alfo  thought  to  have  been 
the  author  of  the  treatife,  intitled  the  little  Laby- 
rinth againfl  Artemcn,  of  which  an  account  has 
been  given  ;  and  Photius  afciibes  to  him  atreatife 
hcumverfe,  which  went  under  the  name  oi  jo- 
fephus. 

Beryllus,  Bifliop  of  Boftra,  the  fame  whom 
Origcn  is  faid  to  have  convinced  of  his  error  relat- 
ing to  the  frmple  humanity  of  Cbrift,  was  the  au- 
thor. Eufebius  fays,  of  feverai  elegant  works,    the 

ful  j 

*  Eufeb.    Hifr.  Lib.  v.  Cap.  i3.  p.  23«.  Lib.  vi 
Cap.  1 2.  p.  270. 

I  Ibid.  Lib.  vi,  Cop.  22.  p   2^6. 

J  Ibid.  Lib-  vi.Ciuv  20;  p  20J. 


296       THE  HISTORY  OF  THE  Per.  IV. 

fufcj -.0,5  cf  which  he  does  not  mention*.  Some  of 
them,  it  is  probable,  contained  his  opinion  con- 
cerning Chnft. 

Julius  Africanus,  of  Palefllne,  wrote  an  epiftle 
to  Origen,  to  prove  the  fparioufnefs  of  the  hiftory 
of  Suianna,  and  a  book  on  the  differences  between 

genealogies  of  Matthew  and  Luke  ;  but  his 
principal  work  was  on  the  chronology  of  the  world 
to  the  time  of  Heliogabalus.  We  have  almoft  the 
whole  of  this  in  Eufebiiis's  Chronicont. 

Tertullian,  a  native  of   Carthage,  and  the  old- 

f  the  Latin  Fathers,  was  the  author  of  a  great 

•  her  of  works,  many  of  which  are  come  down 
to  us,  and  he  was  famous  for  turning  Montanift 
after  he  had  written  fever al  of  them.  Thofe  that 
are  now  extant  are  fuppofed  by  Dupin  to  have 
been  compofed  in  the  following  order;  of  pen- 
nance,  of  baptifrn,  of  prayer,  an   apology   for   the 

ilian  religion,  concerning  patience,  and  an  ex- 
1  01  ration  to  the  martyrs.  Thefe  were  written  be- 
fore he  was  a  Montanift.  When  he  appears  to 
have  been  inclined  to  that  feci,  he  wrote  his  treati- 
fe$  concerning  public  fpe&acles,  of  idolatry,  of  the 
ornaments  and  drefs  of  women,  two  books  addrefL 
ed  to  his  wife,  and  a  treatile  on  the  foul.  After  he 
was  a  Montanift,  he  wrote  his  books  againft 
Ivlarcion,  of  prefcription,  of  the  flefh  of   Chnfl,  of 

the 

*  Eufeb.  Hift.  Lib.  vi   Car-  20,  p.  284. 

|  lbib.  Lib.  vi,  Cap.  31,  p.  29£. 


Sec.  VII.      CHRISTIAN  CHURC'I       %yf 

the    refnrrecl1  m  of    the    fl  Ih     Sc  -rnic  u  \ 

hereuV)  of  the  crown,  oi  t.u  palJiuin     i     I    i        ,  t 
the    Jews.      Me  alfb  wrote  in  th  |    i)   >1  bis 

agai.ifl  Praoceas,  the  unitarian  M     .         i     a^ainft 

H^imogenes    who   fieri    fo   rq    G       '  C      ;• 
and  ftgajafl  the  Vv   n  i.uns  j  hs  treat  ,  ,- 

titv,  ol  i.«it  ii .,  i  \  m    ipgotoy    at    ex   •    I      -.    .o 
chailiry,  o|  fljghl  m   Lime  of  p  rte<  ni  o 

ill  a- thai  vi;^p>   >:i.;atto  be  vkii   i    mJ  a  j 

St  apu!  .  ronlul  of  Africa  relating  to  I;: 

cuionol  ehiutiaiis  mentioned  before.    Sevci  t]  r 

treating  pafs  for  his  which  were  r.o.wnticn  b,  hi  n. 

Ammofiius.  the  mailer  of  Qrigjea  in  philoso- 
phy, wiote  a  tieatife  on  the  agreement  betw  ^n 
M ofes  and  Chriil.  which  is  now  loft,  and  tjh  har- 
mony of  the  four  gofpcls,  which  is  thought  by  f  .me 
to  be  that  which  is  now  contained  m  the  Bib  '•■>- 
theca  Patrum.  Eufebius  warmly  defends  ins  be- 
ing a  chriftian  againft  Porphyr/v*. 

The  meft  diflinguifbed  character,  and  writer, 
in  this  period  was  Ori-cn,  a  nauve  of  E^ypt,  fur- 
named  Adamantinus,  trcm  his  incredible  labours. 
For  befides  h's  public  teaching,  which  wa,s  incef- 
fant,  he  is  faid  by  fume  to  have  written  hx  thou- 
fand  volumes,  bu<-  many  of  them  were  probably 
letters  or  very  fmall  t rafts.  Th.  catalogue  of  them, 
fajs  Eufebius,   would  b    a   bu^k  •  i   itfclif.      The 

V  oi.  I.  O  >  char* 

*  Eufeb.  Hift.  Lib.  vi.  I  ap.  19,  p.   280. 
t  Ibid.  Lib.  vi,  Lap.  32,  p.  ^96. 


298       THE  HISTORY  OF  THE  Per.  IV, 

chara&er  of  Origen  was  fo  great,  that  it  was  com. 
monly  faid  of  him,  that  his  life  was  worthy  of  his 
eloquence,  and  his  eloquence  of  his  life*.  Por- 
phyry, the  Heathen  philofopher,  who  wrote  a- 
gainft  cbriftianity,  fpeaks  of  his  having  known 
Origen,  and  commends  him  highlyt,  though  he 
charges  him  with  mixing  Greek  ideas  with  his 
chriftiamcy,  and  continually  ftudying  PlatoJ. 
He  alio  fays  that  he  borrowed  his  allegorical  me- 
thod of  interpreting  fcripiure  from   Pythagoras^. 

As  the  hiftory  of  Origen  is  written  much  at 
lar^e  by  Eufebius  (though  he  profeiTes  to  abridge 
it)  and  he  was  a  man  fo  remarkable  for  his  piety, 
genius,  and  application,  I  (hail  give  the  outlines 
of  it.  His  enemy,  Jerom,  allowed  that  he  was  a 
great  man  from  his  infancy.  He  was  indeed  an 
honour  to  chrifl ianity,  and  to  human  nature.  His 
father  Leonidas  gave  him  a  pious  and  learned  edu- 
cation, and  his  early  improvements  were  fiifch  as 
gave  his  worthy  parent  the  greafefl  fatisfaclion. 
Though  he  was  not  more  than  feventeen  years  of 
age  when  the  perfecution  under  Sevcrus  began  in 
Alexandria,  and  his  father  was  apprehended  and 
confined,  he  would,  at  that  early  age,  have  thrown 
himfelf  in  the  way  of  the  perfecutors,  if  his  mother, 


after 


*  Eufeb.  Lib.  vi,  Cap.  3,  p.   2G1. 
t  Ibid,  Lib.  vi,  Cap.  19,p.  230. 
J  Ibid. 
$  Ibib.  Hid.  Lib,  vi,  Cap.  lo,p.  232. 


Sec.  VII.      CHRISTIAN  CHURCH.      299 

after  her  moil  carried    entreaties  had    failed,  had 

not  hid  his  cloaths,  in  order  to  prevent  him  going 
abroad*.  He  wrote,  however,  to  his  father,  exhort- 
ing him  toperfevere  in  his  proie.di  »n  at  all  events, 
and  without  concerning  himfdf  about  his  family, 
though  in  cafe  of  his  death,  the  re  would  be  a  widow 
and  feven  children  left  in  great  poverty  j  and,  thus 
encouraged,  his  father  was  beheaded,  and  behaved 
with  becoming  refolution. 

A  large  family  being  lefc  in  this  deflitute  con- 
dition, a  rich'lady  oi  Alexandria,  a  friend  of  vir- 
tue and  genius,  took  Origen  into  her  family.  At 
the  fame  time  ihe  e:  d'J  linguifhed  Gnof- 

tic  of  Antioch,  and  her  houfe  was  the  refort  of  o- 
ther  men  of  letters.  Id  this  utuation,  though  O- 
rigen  could  not  refrain  from  the  fociety  of  this 
GnofUc,  he  was  fo  fteady  to  his  principles,  that  he 
would  never  join  with  him  in  prayer,  but  llri&- 
ly  adherred  to  the  communion  of  the  catholic 
church. 

Notchufing  to  be  unnecefTaiily  burthenfome 
to  his  benefaclrefs,  and  having  made  confiderable 
proficiency  in  literature,  he  was  foon  able  to  main- 
tain him  fell  by  teaching  grammart.  But  the  great 
fchool  of   Alex  -  i.eing  deferted  by  its  mallei 

in  time  oi    per;  1,  many  perfons  applied  to 

him  fop  inftru&ian  in    the   principles  of  religion, 

though 

«  fc<  f   ».  Uh  vi,Cap.  2,  p.  253. 

Hift.  Lib/vi,  Can.  2,  p.  259. 


3no       THEHISTORYOFTHE    Per.  IV. 

though  he  was  not  more  than  eighteen  yeats  old  • 
and  a.^  many  Wen*  by  lum  brought  over  to  chnHia- 
rmv,  he  was  at  that  early  age  appointed  catechift 
b}  Derm -?nus  the  bifhop  of  Ah  xaudr:a.  On  this- 
he  rlidorninued  the  teaching  of  grammar,  and  he 
w  evoted  to  facred    literature,    that  he  even 

foi:  all  his  bocks  of  profane  Icience,  receiving  ?he 
fi -•  \1)  i:  ir.  o>  f( -i.  i  i  b.h  a  oay  horn  the  perion  who 
purchafed  them*. 

VI  hile  he  was  in  this  employment,  many  of 
bis  -fit  lis  became  martyr;  :  and  being  in  io  con- 
fptem  u>  a  ftauon,  it  was  wnh  great  difficulty  that 
he  hrmfeif  efcaped.  Being  now  obliged  to  in- 
ii.nit  women  as  well  as  m  .11.  and  forming  to  him- 
feit  a  pian  of  great  auftent)  of  rnai  mis.  in  a  hi  of 
emhuiiaftic  zeal,  he  made  a  literal  application  to 
hirnfelf  of  t  a  j  rwrep  i  i  oui  Sai  : -or  concerning 
perions  mzk\ng\  emielvres  eanuc  s  for  the  king- 
do^  of  heave  's  lake  ;  an  aciion  for  which  in  the 
fober  refl  &ions  ol  hi&  aiier  life,  he  greatly  con- 
demned IJ  mieit. 

App!)  -ng  himfelf  with  hngnlar  afikluity  to  the 
duties  ci  his  office  as  c  ?c  il,  he  gieatiy  encreafed 
his  reputation,  efpecialfy  by  an  edition  of  the  fcrip- 
tutes  of  the  Oid  Teftameiu,  with  ail  the  different 
Greek  verfions,  in  feparate  columns.  He  was  in- 
duced, however,  lor  what   reafen  ooes  not  appear 

(but 

*  Eufeb.  hift.  Lib.  vi,  Cap.  3,  p.   261, 
t  Ibid.  Lib,  vi.  Cap.  8,  p.  264. 


Sfc   VII      CHRISTIAN  CHURCH.       301 

(hut  it  wafc  no  doubt  diffidently  urgent)  to 
his  employment  and  his  iludics   for  the  pur] 
making  a  vifit  to  R   me,  in  the  time  of  Zepbyri 
ft  •urmii;.;  vtf)    Toon  to  Alt  Xandfia,  many  perfi 
of  learning,  from  difUnt  pi  ices,    reforted   to  hi 
aH  lIil-  bifbop  of  Alexandria  being  applied  to  by 
t        .  ibian  prince  for  a  perfon  Lo  inftrucl  hirn  iri 
ft  ftian    .ith.lv    made  choice  of  Origen,  til 

pre       nrc  to   ih)   othi  r*. 

When  A  1  \  m  Iria  Was  ravaged  by  Caracalla, 
he  went  to  Pae»area  in  Pilefline,  and  there  thd 
b  (hop  engiig  !i  :»  to  expound  the  fcripturgd 
pubficly  in  lis  church,  though  he  was  not  then  e- 
even  a  pr*'  &.     TVs  g  Efrhce  lo  Dtm£- 

frius.  who  infilled  on   hia  returning  to  his  proper 
charge  at  Alexandria,    which  accordingly  he  didt. 
Hi*  made,  however,  two  other   excurfiens,   on 
the  requrO  df  the  erhprefs  Mammaea,  who  fei  I  I -:r 
him  to  Ar.tiochJ,  and  tl  :     .     r  to  Achaia,  in 
wav  to  winch  he   was  ordained  prieft  at  Cae         \ 
This  gave  inch  offence  to  Demetriu  :h'is 

time  he  did  every  thing  in  his  powe  ire  him, 

particularly  by  ex p  e  raj 

ab-ve  j  though,  wh< 
in  confidence,  he  had  p]  .  , 

*  Eufeb.  Hid.  Lib.  vi,Cap.  19  p.  £8 

f  Ibid.  p.  884. 

%  Ibid.  p.  a 

j  Ibid,  Cap,  %3.  g,  2&T. 


So>  IISTORY  OF  THE   Per.  IV. 

and  at  that  time  did  net  condemn  him  for  it.  but 
enc  i  to  apply  with*  vigour  to  the  duties 

ofl  lion. 

At  firft  Demetrius  got  him  banithed  from  A- 
le*  ,  in  a  council  held  a.  d    231,  though  on 

what  pretence  does  not  diftin&Iy  appear.  In  a 
fecond  council  he  was  denoted  from  the  priefthood, 
and  ed;   and  the  fentence    was  of 

courfe   ra!  antihurches.     Still,  how- 

ever.  as  received  at    Caefarea  by   Theoclifius 

bithop  of  that  city,  and  by  Alexander  bilhop  of  Je- 
rufa  .  \  0  \  ere  in  an  extraordinary  manner 
altar  in  -.  and   undertook   to  defend  him*. 

While  he  refcded  at  Caefarea  perfons  flocked  to 
him  lor  inftruclion  from  great  diftances,  and  among 
ofche:  afterwards  biraop  of  Neocefarea, 

and,       lorus,  whom  h$  perfuaded 

ic  abandon  1  rpfane  literature  lor  the  Rudy  of  the- 
ology. '.  .  lis  lectures  five  years.  Fir- 
iniliari  :.  :fareain  Cappadocia,  a  dif- 
tinguiihed  character  in  Lis  time,  was  fo  iond  of  O- 
I  have  perfuaded  him  to  go  i::- 
to  his       ..-  ii    .  .  :        live  with  himt. 

In'!  ation  he  compofed   his  commenta. 

....  tting,  it  is  laid,  to  ttven 

no.:;:  more,    and    employing  as 

many  lei  to  take  lair   copies,  the  cxpence  of 

\  ;..ch 

*■]        '       I    t     L  \v  .  '    ■    .27  p.  292. 
.    liift.L:!  .  yr.Ca]      .  ■>  2*2, 


Sue.  VII.     C!!?vTVriANCHURC  303 

which  war.  rhrorfjillv  <1  h(> 
had  been  converted  I 

horn  beitlg  a  Valen.  led 

iiMty,  be  perrnifl  Ilc 

(vered  his  dil  !ie 
had  not  don 
life  that  he  wrote  fc 
fus,  in  defence  (                      .  t. 

In  the   peffecutkffl  ;en 

concealed  himfelt  h.           rtg  t 6  ftthei  :re, 
however,  he  was  net  idle'*    but   G 

commentaries.      After  this  he  ret-  •, 
and  then  (pent  forhe  lime  wi 

padocia.      In  the    reign  of   Gor  1 

the  Synod  in  Arabia   againfl  Bt  he 

reign  of  Phillip  the  other  :i 

the  queftion  concerting  the  ftate  \ 

clifculfed.     In    the  perfi  we 

fhali   ice  that  he   fu  flared  t  > 

tudej'butfurviving  it,  1  .   .  iri 
the  beginning  oi  Cue  relgfi  oi 

BefidcE  commentaries  11   »  of  ft     p- 

ture,  we  have  of  Qi  .              .a 

treatife  on  prayer,  as 

probably  the  firfl  ofhi&boi  '                 is 

trcatife  on  principles  in  I 

Thilocalia.  or   cxtr n 

r« 

* "  Eufcb.  Hift.  Llbvi,C          •  .3. 

-j  Ibid.  Cap.  30,  p.  S  . 


S°4 


THE  HISTORY  OF  THE  Pr.*.    IV. 


ohLij^e  pafTages  of  fcripture  by  £.<fi    and   Gi    ^o- 
r)'  Nazianzen, 

Ambrofe,  the  grea1  friend  of  Oiigrrj,  mrmion- 
ed  in  the  preceeding  account  oi  ;;>m.  wrote  emdes 
add  relied  to  him.  Tryphon,  ai;o?  a  htarei  of 
Origen,  wrote  letters  addrciR  d  to  him,  ard  c  rbdi 
fmall  pieces,  efpecially  a  trea'ib  on  *  *  ;e  fubj-ct  of 
the  red  heifer  in  the  book  of  Numbers,  and  on  A- 
braham's  dividing  the  dove  and  the  :a:  .«c*. 

Miniums  Felix  a  lawyer  at  Rome,  wrotea  dia- 
logue now  extant,  intitled,  Octavius  againift  the 
1  eatbeo  religion.  Another  ueati.'e  en  fate,  or  a- 
gainft  the  ma ■hematicians,  paSed  '  :r  his  in  the 
time  ot  Jcionr  but  he  thought  the  itile  not  worthy 
ci    imt. 

Alexander,  b'.frr-p  cf  Calpparlocia,  and  afrer>i 
i^ardsol  Jerafa]  in,  and  who  ludF  ted  rnar,vid.jrn 
ig    hi    peri ecuti  u  c  D eciu&  wrofce  t\  ■  rai  epiftotty 

n  docvs  not  appear  mar  an)  o\  them  were  »  n 
I^ljecisot  much  important  J. 

Lailly,  Jerom  fays  that.  Gerr.irns.  a    prefby'-r 
of  Antioqh,  left  a  lew  monuments  oi  his  genius.;  but 
he  does  not  fay  what  they  v\crc§. 
*  Jerc-m,  Cap.  67.  68. 
t  Ibid.  Cap.  6Q, 

J  Eufeb.  Hift.  Lib.  vi.  Cap.  20.  p,  23  l;  Jerom,  Cap.  T3, 
§  Jerom,  Cap.  frf. 

PERIOD 


Sac.  I.         CHRISTIAN'  CfTJICTI.       30- 


PERIOD     V. 


IROMTFTERP.  ION     OF    OECIUS,   A      D       ti\()i     TO 
THAT    OF    D  IOC  LIT  I  AN,    A.     D.   28.I. 


SECTION    I. 

Of  the  Perfecuthn  by  Dahis. 


1 


M  the  period  of  which  I  have  been  treat- 
ing the  chrift.ans  had  enjoyed  a  great  (lure  of  re- 
pole,  which  had  been  favourable  to  the  increafe 
of  their  numbers,  but  by  no  means  to  their  interior 
difciplinc,  or  their  morals.  Cyprian  and  other 
writers  make  great  complaints  with  refpedt  to  the 
covetuoufnefs,  pride,  luxury,  and  worldly  minded- 
nefs  of  chriflians,  even  of  the  clergy  and  confefljrst 
Many  alfo  made  no  fcruple  o»  connecting  them- 
felves  by  marriage  with  lieaihens,  which  fhewed  a 
great  decline  of  zeal  for  their  chnftian  profdlion*. 
Vol.  I.  pp  Ie 

*  Cyprian,  De  Unitate  Ecclefi*,  Opera,  p.  119 
De  Lapfis,  p.  123, 


3o&       THEHISTOY  OF   THE      Per,    V. 

It  pleafed  the  divine  Being  however,  to  roufe  the 
chriftian  world  from  this  Mate  of  indifference  by  a 
a  more  fevere  and  extenfive  persecution  than  any 
of  the  preceeding,  in  the  reign  of  Deems,  though 
it 'Joes  not  appear  to  have  continued  quite  three 
years. 

Decius  was  made  emperor  hv  the  army,  which 
had  revolted  againft  .  Philip,,  and  perhaos  becaufe 
his  predecefTor  had  favoured  the  chnflians  (toge- 
ther with  fuch  other  reafons  as  had  influenced  Tra- 
jan and  Marcus  Antoninus)  he  determined,  if  poffi- 
bie,  to  extirpate  them  ;  and  by  appointing  proper 
governors  of  provinces,  and  giving  them  iuitable 
inftruttions,  he  took  the  mod  effectual  method  to 
gain  his  end :  directing  them  (as  may  be  collected 
from  the  manner  in  which  this  perfecution  was 
conducted)  to  ufe  every  means  in  their  power  to 
bring  the  people  back  id  the  profeflion  of  their  an- 
cient religion,  leaving  the  mode  of  proceeding,  and 
the  kind  of  pmiifhment,  to  their  dikreticta*.  From 
an  expreffion  of  Cyprian  in  his  epiule  to  Antoni- 
nus [Tyrannus  infejlus  facer  do  tikis  dci]  it  mould 
feerri  that  the  violence  of  the  peifecution  was  more 
particularly  directed  againft  the  chriftian  clergy  ,t 
but   this   would   naturally    be  thought   ihe  molt 

erR- 
*  Gfegorii  Nyffoa  De  Vita,  Greg.    Thaum,   Opera, 

Vol,  i   p-999. 

"f  Epift.  55,  Opera,  p.  104. 


Sac.   I.  CHRISTIAN  CHURCH.       307 

effectual  ir.etho-.l  oi  extirpating  chriftianity,  which 
the  emperor  1  a  i  m   view. 

Before  1  i\  ,  happened  in  cnnfl-cp^nce 

of  the  fangu'narv  slices  oi  this  emperor,  I  fall 
give  an  accoun!  "i  fome  homd  cimrhits  frfetch 
were  exciciltd  upon  th-' chrifi-ans  in  AIj  .;'m 

the  year  preceding  th    u  A    Dccius,  1  ,z.  a.    d, 

248.      It  fhews  how   fubjefct  the  chriflians  were  to 

vous  perfection,  independently  of  the  inten- 
fjons  of  the  emperors.  And  as  we  m.uk!  not 
have  had  any  knowledge  el  this    |  uion  m  E- 

gypt,  but  by  means  ola  itt:crci  Dionyfius  the  bi- 
(hop,  preferved  in  Eufebius,  it  is  probable  that  ma- 
ny cruelties  of  a  fimilar  nature  were  committed  in 
other  parts  of  the  Roman  empire,  though  they  are 
now  buried  in  oblivion. 

Some  time  before  any  open  violences  were 
committed,  a  poet,  whofe  name  is  not  mentioned, 
had  been  bufy  in  furring  up  the  mob  againfl  the 
chriflians,  and  inflaming  their  zeal  for  their  ancient 
fuperflitions.  Headed  by  this  man  they  fet  no 
bounds  to  their  outrages,  but  acted  as  if  the  fervice 
of  their  gods  had  con  filled  in  the  murder  of  the 
chriflians.  The  firft  object  of  their  vengeance 
was  an  oJ  ft  of  the  name  of  Metras,  who  reiuf- 

iag  to  priori  ounce  cerrairi  were!:,  which  it  was 
known  clwriftiajM  v.  ould  not  do,  they  fh.Pi  beat  him 
with  club",. then  thii.fi  rcefls  into  hi  nd  eye*, 

and  at  1  l£1  Honed  him    to  death-     After  this  they 


«o8       THE  HISTORY  OF  THE  Per.  V? 

dragged  a  chiftian  woman,  of  the  name  or  Q  jinta, 
imo  an  idol  temple  ;  and  when  fhe  reru«cJ  lo  per- 
fotm  the  ntes  of  it,  they  n'ed  her  feet  together,  and 
dragged  he£  through  he  (beets  which  were  paved 
with  rough  (lores,  and  againfl  mill  ft  ones  &c. 
They  then  cottrged  her,  and  taking  her  into  the 
fuburh  a  they    ft*  ned  her  to  death. 

A  ter  this  they  mined  tmo  the  houfesof  the 
chnftians  with  whom  they  weie  acquainted;  and 
driving  them  out  the)  plundered  their  ^c>ods, 
W-hal  was  of  moft  vSluie  they  carried  away,  but 
things  of  wood,  and  oi  Jefs  value,  thev  b>oke  in 
pieces,  or  burned  in  the  fl.ee  s4  Fo  a$  to  exhibit 
tbeapcearancv  of  a  city  taken  and  plundered  by 
fhe  enemy.  In  -his  iumuit  the  chriftians  fled,  res- 
erving with  joy,  our  author  fays,  the  f polling  of  their 
goods*,  and  hitherto  not  more  than  oneperlon  who 
fell  into  the  hands  of  the  mob  was  induced  to  re- 
nounce his  profi  ilion. 

They  then  feized  upon  a  tingle  woman  of  ad- 
vanced age,  named  Afpollonia,  and  ftriking  her  on 
the  face  they  beat  out  her  :.  hi  Then  lighting 
a  pile  without  the  city,  i*>ey  threatened  to  burn  her 
alive  nnkfc  file  would  pronounce  certain  words 
which  they  dictated  to  her.  At  firft  ft  e  feemed  to 
parley  with  them,  lu*,  (eating  perhaps  more  ill 
ufage.  fhe  cf  her  own  accord  ixihed  into  the  fire, 
and  was  turned.     Having  ftized  rone    Scrapie  in 

his 
?  Heb,  X!  34 


Sec.  I.  CHRISTIAN*  CHURCH.       go| 

his  own  hnii't'   (Ik  ■  I  him  m  a  cruel  man- 

i)  i   tfnd  having  broken  his  babe*  the)  thf* 
headlong  out  of  his  chamber.     Infbdft,  no  chriftft 

an  could  ippear  in  any  public  to  d  or  private 
path.tht*  v  yi  ice  being  every  where  clamorous 
10  Havf  all  perfons  feized,  and  thrown  info  t:ie 
fl.  n>  $,  who  would  not  |  t  nounee  their  words. 
Ac  length  the  chriflians  got  fome  refpite  by  the 
fuuous  populace  quarrelling  among  themfelves, 
and  exen  ifing  the  fame  cruelties  upon  one  another 
which  .hey  had  done  upo    them. 

This  was  a  little  before  the  dreadful  edicls  of 
Dcius,  which  when  they  arrived,  fil'ed  all  the 
chriflians  in  Eg\  pt  with  the  grcafefl  co,  11  ;^.;un. 
On  the  publication  of  them  manv  peifons  of  the 
higher  ranks  in  life  obeyed  without  hefitatibn  ; 
fome,  who  were  in  office,  doing  G i  fl  themfelves 
what  they  were  appointed  to  require  of  other*. 
Some  were  brought  by  their  heathen  friends 
and  re'atiens,  and  being  called  upon  by  name, 
joined  in  the  facrifice,  though  many  of  them  did 
it  with  rrianiftft  reluda,  ce,  fo  as  to  be  laughed  at 
by  the  by  danders,  but  oiheis  boldly  declared  that 
they  never  had  bun  chriflians.  Oi  the  reft,  feme 
fled,  and  othen  were  ap|  rehehded.  Of  thefc  fohie 
perfiitai  in  their  pr'oftilion  of  chriftianity,  till  ihey 
werecoi  fined  only, and  others  till  reat- 

er.ed  with  tor'.tn.  ;  I  u    tl  ere  . .  c  ic  many  Co  whofa 

no  threats  could  make  a;iy  impieffion. 

The 


8i0       THE  HISTORY  OF  THE    Per.V. 

The  firft  of  thefe  was  Julianus,  who  was  fo 
attlicled  with  the  gout  that  he  could  neither  walk 
nor  Rand,  and  (women  who  carried  him.  Of  thefe 
two  one  recanted,  but  the  other,  together  with  his 
matter,  pu  fitting  in  acknowledging  themfelves  to 
bschriilians,  were  fet  on  camels,  and  in  that  fiuia- 
tion  beaten  through  all  the  city,  and  then  thrown 
into  the  fire,  and  confumed,  in  the  prefence  of  the 
whole  multitude.  A  foldier  called  Bafas,  y^ho 
attended  at  the  execution,  checking  thofe  who  a- 
Efufed  them,  was  by  the  clamour  of  the  people 
brought  before  the  tribunal,  and  appearing  to  be  a 
chriftiau  he  was  beheaded,  Macar  a  native  of 
Lybia,  alter  refitting  all  attempts  to  make  him  re- 
nounce his  profefljicm,  was  fentenced  to  be  burned 
alive. 

After  thefe  Eplrnachus  and  Alexander,  when 
ihey  had  long  borne  the  horrors  of  a  prifun,  and 
had  been  tortured  with  iron  forceps,  and  many  ci- 
ther ways,  were  burned  in  a  lime-kiln,  Four  wo- 
men perifhed  in  thefarne  manner.  Amnonarion, 
an  unmarried  women,  being  tortured  a  long  time 
in  the  prefence  of  the  judge,  and  faying  that  no- 
thing they  could  do  to  her  would  make  her  pro- 
nounce what  they  required,  was  ordered  for  execu- 
tion. Marcuria  a  \er.ciable  old  woman,  and  Dio- 
nyfia.  the  mother  of  many  children,  and  who  had 
brought  them  all  up  in  the  prcfdlion  of  efariftiani- 


Sec  I.       CHRISTIAN    CHURCH.        311 

ty,     and   Ma    another   Animonnnon,     were    then 
brought  before  the  prefect  ;  and  beirlg  |  of 

having  tortured  women  to   no  purpoie.    he  or 
ed  them  to  be  beheaded  without  any  previous 

Then  Heron,  and  Ater,  and  Ifiionis,  all  E«- 
gyptians,  were  brought  before  the  judged  t 
with  Diofcurus,  a  boy  about  fiLeen  years  old.  The 
men,  having  borne  flagelJation  wi-h  great  foriitude, 
were  thrown  into  the  fire  ;  but  the  judge  having 
companion  on  the  boy,  who  difiing aillied  himfclf 
by  the  pertinence  of  his  anfwers  to  all  that  was  faid 
to  him,  and  finding  that  neither  his  intreaiies  nor 
his  tortures  had  any  effect  upon  him,  diirniGed 
him. 

One  Nemefion,  who  ha'd  been  falfely  a  ecu  fed 
as  one  of  a  fet  of  banditti,  proving  his  innocence 
of  that  charge,  but  acknovvledging  that  he  was  a 
chriflian,  was  tortured  twice  as  much  as  any  of 
them.  At  length  Ammon,  Zeno,  Piolemy,  and 
Ingenuus,  together  with  an  old  man  called  Theo- 
philus,  all  foldiers,  who  had  attended  thefe  trials 
and  executions,  after  mewing  by  their  looks  and 
gefturc-s  their  difpleafure  at  any  who  denied  their4 
faith,  before  they  were  apprehended  or  ;r 
went  of  their  own  accord  to  the  tribunal,  and  ac- 
knowledged that  they  alfo  were  d  tis.  On 
this  the  prefect  and  his  afliiiants  were  alarmed,  and 

not 


12 


THE  HISTORY  OF  THE     Per.  V. 


not  chafing  to  proceed  any  farther,  permitted  them 
to  go  away  in  triumph*. 

Many  others,  fays  Dionyfius,   were  dedroyed 
by  the  heathens  in  other  towns  and  villages,  of 
which  he  gives  the  following  example.      One    lf- 
chyrion  had  been  hired  by  fome  perfon  in  office 
to  do  his  duty  (or  him  ;  and  being   in  confequcnce 
of  it  ordered   by  his  employer   to  facrifice   to  the 
idols,  and  refufing,  he   was  firft    reproached  ;  and 
perfiding  in  his  refufil,  he  was  abufed  in  a  great  va- 
riety of  ways ;  but  bearing  all  with  wonderful  pati- 
ence, he  was  at  lad  put  to  deaih  by  a  large    (lake 
bein  7  driven  through   his    body.      Multitudes,  he 
fays,  being  driven  into    the  mountains  and  defart 
parts  of  the    country,  penfhe  1    with    hunger  and 
third,  cold   and    difeafe,    or  by  robbers   or    wild 
beads,  an  account  of  whom  was  preferved  by  thofe 
who  furvived. 

Asanindance  of  this,  he  mentions  the  cafe  of 
Chaeremon,  bifhop  of  Nilus,  a  very  old  man.  He 
having  fled  with  his  wife  to  a  mountain  of  Arabia, 
never  returned  ;  and  though  his  brethien  made  de- 
ligent  fearch  for  him,  he  could  never  be  found, 
alive  or  dead.  Many  otheis  were  taken  in  thefe 
mountains  by  the  Saracens,  and  i  educed  to  flavery  ; 
and  though  fome  of  them  recovered  their  liberty 
by  ranfom,  others  did  not,     Thefe  confeflbrs,  Di- 

onyfius 

*  Eufeb.  Hi&  Lib.  vi,  Cap.  41,  p.  308, 


Sec.  I.         QHRISTIAN  CHURCH.       313 

on  rfius    fiys,  ha  I     ;r-;it  CO  .1  )iTi  >n  f  >r  th  >fe   wh  > 
h^d  not     1  • :  1    rbl  s  I  >    b  •  1     'i  •    ■>     ec  u    m    b  it 
h,  i   »F  .    I  factfficc,  i  i  I  ifter  tfards  repentc      >i  it, 
1    ras  th    :afe  wi   ig  2  it  ni  ib 

What  happaed    to  D     1   das    himfelf  is  not  a 
little  extrao  Unary.     The   perfon  who  had  b 
fen     by  Sabinus,  the  prefeft,  to  apprehend   hi 
not  thinking  to  look  for    him  in  his  ovvn    h  »ufe, 
be,  w  10    Had   no  thoughts   of  fl/ing,    continued 
there  tour  days  j  but  being  then,  he   Uys,  admon- 
ifhed  by  God  to  withdraw,  and  a  way  being  open- 
ed for  him,  he  with  his  fervants,  and  many  of  his 
chriflian  friends,  went  out  of  the  city  together.    A- 
bout  fun-fet,   however,  they  were   all  feized   by  a 
party  of  foldiers,  and  carried  to  Tapofiric  ;  but  one 
Timothy,  who  happened  not  to  be  with  them,  ef- 
caped. 

Ke  going  to  the  houfe  o(  the  bifnop,  and  find- 
ing him  and  his  friends  (led,  and  a  guard  in  it, 
fLd  alfo  in  great  hade  ;  when  being  met  by  a  per- 
fon out  of  the  country,  and  being  afked  by  him 
why  he  fhd,  he  told  the  whole  (lory  ;  and  this  man 
happening  to  be  going  to  nuptial  feait,  which,  ac- 
cording to  cuflom,  was  held  in  the  night,  told  his 
companions  ;  and  they  infiantly  ruining  out.  and 
attacking  the  guard,  refcued  Dionyfius  and  his 
friends.     But  he,  thinking  them  to  be  robbers,  and 

Vol.  I.  O  q  bein^ 

*  Luicb.  Hid.  Lib.  vi;  Can,  4*,  p.   309, 


3i4        THE  HFSTORY  OF  THE  Per.  V. 

being  in  bed,  with  only  a  linen  garment  on,  offer* 
ed  them  the  remainder  of  his  clothes  ;  and  when, 
without  regarding  this,  they  bid  him  rife  and  fol- 
low them,  he  begged  they  would  leave  him,  or  do 
themfelves  the  office  of  the  foldiers,  atid  cut  off 
his  head.  They,  however,  compelled  him  to  go 
againft  his  will,  dragging  him  away  by  his  hands 
and  feet.  On  this,  the  foldiers  being  difperfed, 
and  he  being  at  his  liberty,  four  of  his  friends, 
whofe  names  are  mentioned,  conducted  him  out  of 
the  village,  and  placing  him  on  an  afs  without  any 
faddle,  conveyed  him  to  a  place  of  fafety*.  Whi- 
ther he  went,  he  does  not  fay  ;  but  it  is  fuppofect 
that  he  kept  himfelf  concealed  till    the  death  of 

Deems. 

At  Rome,  Fabian  the  bifhop  was  put  to  death. 

In  Palefline,  Alexander  bifhop  of  Jerufalem,  men- 
tioned before,  a  man  venerable  for  his  grey  hairs, 
beim?  brought  before  the  tribunal  of  the  prehdent, 
after  having  gained  great  honour  by  a  former  tefti- 
xnony,  was  lent  to  prifon  at  Csefarea,  and  died 
there.  Babylas,  bifhop  of  Antioch,  alfo  died  in 
prifonf. 

Origen,  who  haddiftinguifhed  himfelf  fo  much 
among  the  chriftians,  and  who  had  been  fo  much 
noticed  by  the  mother  of  the  late  emperor,  was 
particularly  aimed  at  in  this   perfecution,    and  ap- 

pie- 
*  Eufeb.  Hift.  Lib.  vi,  Cap.   40,  p,  302, 
f  Ibid.  I  ib.  vi,  Cap.  39,  p.  301. 


Sec.  I.  CHRISTIAN  CHURCH.      315 

prehended  ;  and  though  he  was  then  advanced  in 
life,  yet  fhewing  an  example  in  himfelf  of  that  for- 
titude which  he  had  fo  early  in  life,  and  fo  often 
afterwards,  lccommendcd  to  others,  he  bore  a  great 
variety  ot tortures  with  invincible  fortitude.  He 
was  confined  in  the  interior  part  of  the  prifon,  and 
there  fattened  with  an  iron  chain,  and  his  feet 
ftretched  in  the  flocks  to  the  fourth  hole  (which 
would  not  have  been  mentioned  by  the  hiftorian, 
if  it  had  not  been  a  fituation  exquifitely  painful) 
for  feveral  days.  He  was  alfo  fubjc&ed  to  vari- 
ous other  kinds  of  torture,  care  being  taken  that 
they  fhould  not  abfolutely  deprive  him  of  life  ; 
and  he  was  moreover  threatened  with  being  burn- 
ed alive.  But  neither  what  he  felt,  nor  what  he 
was  farther  threatened  with  at  all  moved  him. 
That  he  furvived  this  perfecution  is  certain,  but 
by  what  means  we  are  not  informed.  He  wrote 
feveral  letters  afterwards,  highly  edifying  to  thofe 
who  mould  be  brought  into  the  fame  circumitan- 
ces*,  and  he  died  in  the  beginning  of  the  following 
year  at  the  age  of  feventvt. 

We  may  judge  from  thefe  few  particulars 
which  have  been  preferved  of  this  perfecution,  Gf 
the  fufFerings  of  chriftians  in  other  parts  ol  the  em- 
pire.     For    there  can  be   no  doubt  cf  its  having 

been 

*  Eufeb.  Hid.  LiVJvi. !  Cap.  4s>p-3i6.  J 

I  Ibid.  Lib.  \ii,  Cap.  1,  p.  322. 


3i6        THE  HISTORY  OF  THE     Per.  V. 

been  a  general  p<.rfecution,  as  well  as  a  very 
cruel  one.  In  the  fe  circun  ftanc.es  many  real  be- 
believers  in  chriftiauity  would  not  have  the  cou- 
r  :e  U  die  foi  the  proieflion  of  it,  and  efpecialiy 
to  bear  torturf  ;  and  the  agony  of  mind  winch 
mar  \  of  them  luff-red  aftei wards  moves  our  coin- 
pafEon,  no  lefs  than  the  fu firings  of  thofe  who 
had  more  courage,  Dionj  bus  above  mentioned 
relates  an  affecting  inflance  of  this  kind. 

One  Serapion,  an  old  man,  whofe  life  and 
converfation  had  been  unexceptionable,  had  been 
induced  to  faenfice  in  the  time  of  perfecution, 
but  he  enjoyed  no  peace  oi  mini  when  it  was  o- 
ver.  and  had  never  Ccrfcd  importuning  the  b'fhops 
and  cergy  lor  reconciliation,  but  without  effect 
Being  feized  wish  an  iiintfs  v.hich  he  felt  to 
be  mortal,  he  fent  his  htde  grand  f<>n  to  a  pref- 
b)  ;erf  to  dtfire  him  to  cc  me  to  h:m,  as  he  was 
then  dying.  The  pufbyrer  w.as  fick  and  una- 
ble :o  go;  but  btirg  well  informed  ol  the  cafe, 
and  having  ciders  frcn  h(  I  fhop  to  abfclve 
penitents  in  the  article  (i  death,  efpecialiy  if  they 
ha(  futd  foi  attfrjuijc-g  fometime  before,  he  lent 
a  bit  of  the  eu<  1  a<  ftical  1  read  by  the  boy,  as  a  to- 
ken of  his  gr;  ndfatber  burg  received  into  the  com- 
munion of  the  church  ;  and  having  received  it,  he 

prefentl.y  and  joy  fully  expired**. 

The 

*  Euftb.  Bift.  Lib.  vi7  Cap.  44,  p,  517, 


Sec.  I.       CHRISTIAN    CHURCH.        317 

1 1  c  b  fh  p  who  relates  this.  fripp<  fed  that  the 
life  of  the  o'il  man  1  ad  been  miraculoufly  proh  . 
ed    till   he    was    ieconciled  10   the    church.      T.;e 
ftory,  however,  (hews  th  on 

i,     the    minds  of  cnnlrLns,   with    refpeft  to 
importance  ol   church   communion,   an 
the    fan&ifying    virtue    o!    the    I crauunial    de- 
ments them  (elves.      I    is  al  o,  no   doubt,  a    [pen- 
men ol  the  anxiety  o»  mind  of  great  number,  v 
were  in    the  fame    fituatiqn,    whole   faith   in  the 
golpel  was   no  Ids  leal  than   tl  at  ol  the    martyrs 
themfelves;  To  that  by    thefe  alone  we  are  by    no 
means  judge  of  the  number  of  chriftians  in  this 


age, 


S  E  G 


SoS       THEHISTOYOF   THE     Per,    V. 


SECTION    It 


From  the  AcccJJion  of  G alius,  a.t.  251,  fo  the  Reign 
cf  Dicclc/uin.   a.  d.  28  j.. 


D 


ECIUS,  who  had  taken  the  furnatne 
of  Trajan,  and  whom  he  imitated  in  his  fuccefsful 
wars,  as  well  as  in  his  perfecution  of  the  clmfiians, 
being  Gain  in  a  battle  with  the  Goths,  who,  as 
feme  think,  were  aflifted  by  the  treachery  cf  Gal- 
lus,  was  iuccceded  by  him.  and  then  peace  was 
rcfiored  to  the  church,  but  not  entirely.  For  Bio- 
nyfius  fays,  that  Gallus  did  not  fee  the  faults  of  his 
predeceflbr.  but  fell  into  the  fame  himfelf,  perfe- 
cting thofe  who  piayed  for  his  profperity,  though 
afterwards  the  chriftians  were  obliged  to  difcontin- 
ne  thefe  prayers*. 

About  this  time  there  broke  cut  a  dreadful 
plague,  which,  as  hiflorians  fay,  laited  ten,  or  even 
J  :teen  years,  and  made  a  great  deflruclion  among 
mankind.  Dionyfius,  fo  often  mentioned  alrea- 
dy, fpeaks  of  it  as  raging  in  Egypt,  fo  as  to  exceed 
the  plague  in  the  time  of    Mofes,  when  there  was 

not 

*  Eufeb,  Hid.  Lib.  vii,  Cap,  1  ,  p.  322. 


Sec.  II.        CHRISTIAN  CHURCH.       3x9 

not  a  houfein  which  there  was  not  one  dead.  The 
■iviourof  the  chriftians  to  their  6ck  fi  ■  !.  in 
this  plague  was  »cmarkibly  different,  he  fays,  from 
that  of  the  heathens.  For  the  chriftians  would  not 
defert  tho&who  were  I.  iz  I  v;..i  it,  but  continu- 
ed to  render  them  every  kind  office  in  Iheir  power, 
without  dread  of  death  j  whereas  t:  .   iens  fled 

from  their  lick  friends,  and    left  them  in  the  moft 
deflitute  circumftances*.       On   occaiion   of  this 
:c,  Cyprian  wrote  his  treatife  on  mortality. 
Gallus,  alter  reigning  not  quite  MO  years,   was 
killed  by  his  own  foldiers,  and  fucceeded  by  ^Emi- 
lian,  commander  of  the  army  in  Pannonia,  who  had 
revolted  againft  him  ;  and  he  being  Toon  difpatch- 
ed  in  the  Tame  manner,  was  fucceeded  by  Valerian 
the  lieutenant  of  Gallus,  who    affociated    his  fon 
Gallienus  in  the  empire  with    him.     At  firfr.  no 
emperor  had  been  more  friendly  to  the  chriftians 
than  Valerian.      His  houfe  was  fo  full  of  chrifti- 
ans, that    it  was   compared  to  a  church.     But  at 
the  mitigation  of  Macrian,   and    the  chief  of  the 
magicians  of  Egypt,  he  began  a  perfection  of  the 
chriftians,  which  continued  till  he  was  taken  pri- 
foner  by    the    Pcrfians*.    At  the  beginning,  how*. 
ever,  it   feems  to  have  been  moderate,  as   the  bi- 
ihops   and    clergy    were  only    fent   into  banifh- 
nicnt, 

In 

*  Eufeb,  Hift.  Lib.  vii,  Cap.  22,  p.  34,6: 
\  Ibib.  Hift,  Lib,  vii,  Cap.  10,  p.  331* 


32o       THE  HISTORY  OF  THE     Per.  V. 

In  this  perfecution  Dionvfms.in  whofe  letters 
are  preferred  fo  many  particulars  ot  the  former 
persecution^  was  brought  before  ^E.mlian,  the  pre- 
fect >i  Egypt,  together  with  a  piefbyter,  and  three 
o': !  >  leacoas  ;  and  on  profefling  themselves  to  be 
is,  they  were  banifhed  to  Cepbrqj  a  fnvdl 
village  near  the  deferts  of  Lvbia.  There,  preach- 
in  5  ►penlytothe  people  of  toe  place,  who  were 
heathery  and  who  at  Gift  had  been  rnach  enraged 
agamft  them,  they  made  many  conyerts.  On  this 
they  were  feparated,  and  removed  to  other  places, 
worfe,  if  pofii  ole,  than  the  villages  of  Lybia.  Di- 
on yfi  us  him  felf  was  ordered  to  remove  to  Collu- 
th]  ),  a  place  which  he  fays,  he  had  never  heard  of 
before,  but  which,  he  was  told,  was  almufla  defert, 
far  horn  any  city,  and  expofed  to  robbers. 

Perfons  of  both  fexes,  Dionyfius  fays,  and  of 
every  age  and  condition,  foldiers  and  country  peo- 
ple, were  crowned  with  martyrdom,  foine  by 
fcourging,  fome  by  fire,  and  fome  by  the  fword, 
though  his  life  was  fpared.  Many  cbnuians  con- 
cealed themfelves  in  the  city,  in  order  to  aflift  and 
comfort  their  brethren,  and  take  care  of  the  bodies 
of  thofe  who  were  put  to  death,  which  they  did  at 
the  great  hazard  of  their  own  lives.  Befides  kil- 
ling forne  outright,  others,  by  the  order  ofthepre- 
Cdent,were  cruelly  tortured,  and  fome  pined  away 
in  fetters  and  dungeons,  where  none  were  permit- 
ted 


Sec.  II.         CHRISTIAN  CHURCH;      :>zi 

ted  to  vifir  :.hcm  ;  and  fa  tod:  panic  il  r:  c  irt  I  , 
ere  Itri&ly    obeyed^.      F..uflas  w« 
r  in  this  perfection  along  with  DioriyGi 

he  furvived  tQfuffej  martyrdom  in  thd  time 
oil)  was  beheaded  wher^ite- was  very 

old  and  inftrm  r. 

It  w  s  in  this  perfecution  that  the  famous  Cy- 
prian, b  bpp  of  Carthage  fuffsred  martyrdi  , 
In  the  i  i^n  of  Dccius  he  had  concealed  himfelf 
and  in  '\\r  retirenient  wrote  many  letters  to  the 
people  large,  &c<     On  &is  return  tp  Car- 

thage, after  the  perfecution,  he  took  a  very  active 
pare  m  the  que  (Hon,  which  was  then  warmly  agi- 
f '.vd.  conceining  the  terms  on  which  the  lapfed 
fhould  De  admitted  into  the  church,  of  which  a 
more  particular  account  will  be  given  afterwards. 

lathe  beginning  of  the  perfecution,  a.  p.  257, 
on  the  thirtieth  of  A;;       \  Cyprian  was  ciitd  be.- 
foie  Paternus  the    proconiul,  acid  being  ,require9 
to  facrifice  to  the  gods  of  the  empire,  he  anfwei 
that  he  was  a  chriUian,  aad  a  biihop,  and  that  he 
kacw  no   other  God   belides  the   true    o; 
made  heaven  >  and  ea'"h,  the  Tea,    and  all 
therein,   the  God  to   whom   chriftians    prayed 
the   fafety    of  the  emperor.     Being   required   to 
name  his  prefbyters,  he  faid  that  he  mould  not  aft 
the  part  oi  an  informer.     On  this  he   was  fent  into 

Vol.  I.  R  r  exile, 

*Eufeb.  Hift.  Lib.  vii,  Cap  11,  p.  334. 

f  Ibid.  p.  3  39. 


222        THE  HISTORY  OF    THE  Per.    V. 

exile,  to  a  place  called  Cucurbis,  his  deacon  Ponti- 
us accompanying  him.  Abbtrt  this  time,  as  ap- 
pends by  a  letter  of  Cyprian,  many  chriflians  fuf- 
fered  fn  Anica.  For  one  of  his  letters  is  directed 
to  nine  bifhops,  who, 'together  with  prefbyters, 
dearor.?,  and  others,  were  then  in  the  defined 

Patenrjs  being  fucceeied  by  Galerius  Maxi- 
thus,  Cyprian  was  rtcallcd  from  his  hinifhiment 
arid  (probably  by  order  of  the  proconfx!)  went  to 
h\-i  r  fibufe,  near  Carthage,  where*  he  continu- 

ed lotee  time.  There  bAn^  many  reports  about 
the  orders  of  t&e  emperor  with  refbeft  to  this  per. 
fecutfon,  Cyprian,  who  does  not  appear  to  have 
been  under  any  reftraint  as  to  his  correfpondence, 
procured  an  exadi  account  of  the  (late  of  the  fact, 
which  Has  this.  The  bfffiSpsj  prefbyters,  and 
deacons  were  put  to  death  without  dchy  ;  fenators, 
penon's  of  quality,  and  Rorifan  knights,  were  to 
be  deprived  of  thtir  dignities  and  goods  ;  and  if, 
*{  zy  ibis,  they  peifiCled  in  profoinng  themfelves 
chiiuians,  they  were  to  be  beheaded ;  women  of 
rank  were  to  be  ceprived  of  their  goods,  and  fenfc 
into.exile;  and  lattly,  the  emperor's  freed  men  were 
to  have  their  goods  confifcated,  be  fent  in  chains 
to  his  lanes  in  ihe  country,  and  entered  on  the 
of  Haves  to  work  there.  C\  priah  \v?.s  aMb  inform- 
ed, that  Xiftus,  bimop  of  Rome,  had  already 
been  put  to  death  there,  and  that  the  phfeGt  of  the 

city 


Sjeu  II.      CHRISTIAN  CHURCH.      32* 

city  was  intent  upon  executing  the  emperor's  or- 
ders. 

Thefc  orders  foon  arrived  in  Africa ;  and,  in 
confequence  of  them,  C*  prian  brought 

before  the  proconiul,  ybo»  on  his  rei  ori- 

fice, f  pake  to  him  with  great  anger,  callh  ^  him 
an  enemy  to  the  gods,  and  a  f<  !|  oi  I  ie  peo- 
ple.     After  this  he  pronounced  his  ich 

was,  that  he  fhould  be  beheaded  ;  aqd  to  trrs  Cy- 
prian, with  great  magnanimity,  replied,  Cod  be 
praifed  ;  and  a  multitude  0/ chriftians,  who  were 
prefent,  cried  aloud,  and  faid,  Ld  us  be  beheaded 
with  him.  The  fentence  was  immediately  execut- 
ed after  he  had  bcerj  permitted  to  kneel   down  and 

v,  in  the  pre  fence  of  a  great  croud  of  fpeclators 
(many  of  whom  got  upon  the  branches  of  trees  to 
Lave  a  better  view)  on  the  fourteenth  of  Septem- 
ber, a.  d.  258*. 

In  this  perfecution,  as  was  mentioned  before, 
Xiftus,  or  Sixtu*,  bifhop  of  Rome,  was  put  to 
death  in  the  church,  together  with  one  Ouartus, 
probably  a  prefby text ;  and  Lawrence,  a  deacon, 
was  roafted  before  a  (low  fire,  by  the  order  of  Ma- 
ciian  the  prefect  of  the  city,  in  theabfence  of  Va- 
lerian. 

*  This  account  is  extracted  from  the  authentic  acts 
of  the  martyidom  of  Cyprian,  tranilatid  b}  Dr.  Lard- 
1  ()'.  Heathen  Teilimonies,  Vol.  ii.  p.  L0-  end  his  life 
by  Pontius,  prefixed  to  his  works. 

i"  Cypriani  Ep.  so.  Opera,  Epift.  p.  238 


q|4       THE  HISTORY  OF  THE  Pifc  V. 

lerijm.  Or  ttie  latter  the  following  account  il  §i*i 
by  \y  3  Jrea  ,  in  his  fertnon  on  the  fa  J  it  of 

thil  martyrdom*.  Lawrence  as  bot  only  a  dea- 
con, but  alnoner  ol  the  church  cf  1  me,  ao9  it 
was]  I'a :  tJIV  fe>  getpdffelffionof'the 

Ire* fares  of  the  church,  that  be  was  an  ed, 

When  they  were  demanded  of  him,  he  poinftd 
to  a  great  number  of  peer  p'erfons  who  had  be<  i 
fed  and  clothed  out  of  it,  to  that  nothing  remairiad 
in  his  hands.  The  Governor,  Sifafrpi  mted  in  his 
expectations,  required  Lawrence  to  renounce 
ChriiT,  threatening  him,  in  cafe  of  r  with  the 

mod  dreadful  torments  ;  and  when  he  appeared 
unmoved  at  the  mention  of  Tome,  he  propofed  o- 
thers  Hill  more  excruciating.  But  nothing  being 
able  to  move  him,  he  had  him  firfl  fhockmgly 
torn  with  fcourging,  and  then  expofed  to  the  fire 
on  fomething  like  a  gridiron,  audio  that  different 
parts  of  his  body  were  preferred  to  the  fire  in  their 
turns. 

Velerian  being  taken  prifener,  Gallienus  his 
Ton  remained  fble  emperor,  and  foon  appeared  (o 
be  a  man  of  moderation,  and  well  djfpofed  to- 
wards the  chriflians.  By  one  edict  he  ordered 
the  clergy  to  relume  their  functions,  and  that  thofe 
of  thtir  poffefFjor's,  which  had  been  ieized  fhould 
be  reftored  to  them,  and  by  another  he  reftored 
their    churches,      Gallienus   *:ot   being  much  ref- 

pe&ed 
f  Opera,  p. 


.*sc.  II.       CHRISTIAN  CHUflCII.      325 

peeled  in  the  empire,  his  cdi&s  were  not  every 
where  obeyed,  and  particular  governors  were  fli'l 
guilty  of  great  cruelties  ;  efpeciall]  as  the  laws  1  I 
Trajan  had  never  been  formalh  <  d. 

We  have,  in  particular,  an  account  of  one 
Maximus  a  foldier,  who  fulFercd  about  this  time. 
Being  about  to  obtain  the  rank  of  centi  no- 

ther  foldier,  who  claimed  it  as  due  to  himfe'f.  ac- 
cufed  him  of  being  a  chriftian,  and  on  that  account 
incapable  of  that  honour.  Being  interrogated  by 
Achseushis  judge,  he  acknowledged  that  he  was 
a  chriftian  ■  but  the  judge  being  fenfibly  affec"*  ', 
and  very  unwilling  that  he  mould  fuffer,  gave  him 
three  hours,  in  which  he  might  confidcr  of  a  more 
deliberate  anfwer. 

Going  from  the  Prsstorium,  Theptechnus,  the 
bifhop  of  the  city,  came    to  him,   and   after  f 
difcourfe  led  him   to  the   church.     Then 
him  near  the  altar,  and  (hewing  hirr.  his  c    n  f  •  03  I, 
as  theinftrument  of  his  death,  on   the    oi.e    h 
and  the  fcriptures  on  the  other,  he  bad  him  chufe 
which    he    pleafed.       Deciding  accoiding  to   tl  e 
wifh  of  the  bifhop,  he  encouraged   him  to  pe 
vere  ;  and  the  time  being  elapsed,   he    was  a 
bfbught  b  I,    and    there    ft]    .    . 

rnfcreconfta  ;,  and  fhereupon 

•  fentencc  of  he   was  immediately  led  a- 
way  and  b              t*.     Afturius  a  Reman   fenator, 

diftinguifhe4 

*  Eufeb.Hift,  Lib.  vii,  Cap.  1~   -,  3-41. 


3a6        THE  HISTORY  OFTHE     Per.  V. 

diftinguifhed  by  his  riches  as  well  as  his  rank,  and 
alfo  by  his  zeal  and  courage  as  a  chriftian,  being 
prefent  at  the  execution,  had  the  body  carried  a- 
way,  and  decently  buried.  Many  other  things, 
Eufebius  fays,  were  related  of  this  Afiurius  by 
thofe  who  knew  him,  and  who  were  living  in  his 
time*. 

What  Gallienus  might  not  have  been  able  to 
effect,  had;he  been  ever  fo  well  difpofed,  in  favour 
of  the  chriftian  church,  was  done  by  the  did) acti- 
ons of  the  empire,  in  his  reign  ;  in  which  thofe  who 
are  called  the  thirty  tyrants  were  every  where  mak- 
ing infurreclions.  and  letting  up  for  themfelves. 
In  this  ftate  of  peace  the  chriftian  church,  as  ufual, 
oreatly  encreafed,  numbers  becoming  every  where 
more  difgufied  with  the  rites  of  paganiftn. 

The  diflra&ions  of  this  time,  and  the  wars  be- 
tween the  Romans  and  the  barbarous  nations  of  the 
North,  in  this  reign,  and  fome  that  followed,  were 
likcwife  eminently  favourable  to  the  fprcad  of  chrif- 
tianity.  For  when  a  great  number  ot  thefe  north- 
ern nations  parted  irom  Thrace  into  Aria  commit- 
ting great  devaftaiions,  and  carrying  many  people 
with  them  into  fervitude,  many  of  the  clergy  and 
other  zealous  cbriftians  were  among  the  captives, 
and  exerted    il.  zs  in  the  ccnveifion  of   thj 

people  among  whom  they  were  fettled.     In  con- 
iequcr.ee  of  thefe  events  we  find  that,   in  the  time 

of 
*  Eufeb,  Ilia.  Ub.  vii.  Cap-  16.  p.  342. 


Sec.  II.      CHltlSTlA'N    CtfURCH. 

of  Coriflanti  i  M    1  fi  bl   c  In  ifli  inity  i 

exten  led  to  m  mv  ol  !  h  ;fe ;:  1'i  his,  as  thofe  beyond 
the  Rhine,  th  Cel  ae,  the  Goths,  and  the  nations 
b  >rd  irin  |  >•!  the  Danube*. 

.\iivin,  ivha  fucceeded  Galliehus,  appeari 
to  hive  bee  i  fup  rftiti  >us  ;  as  he  gave  orders  For 
confulting  the  Sybtlline  booko,  and  reproached 
the  fehate  with  their  inJuTjrene:  about  that  matter, 
as  if,  fays  lie,  thuy  held  their  onfultauons  i  i  a 
chriilian  church,  and  not  in  the  temple  of  the 
godst.  Me  did  not,  however,  at  firfl:  take  any 
active  part  again  ft;  the  chriftians  ;  and  when  he  w  \s 
in  theEafl,  and  was  appealed  to  about  the  proper- 
ty of  the  epifcopal  houfe  at  Antioch,  he  condes- 
cended to  hear  the  parties,  and  decided  in  favour 
of  that  perfon  to  whom  a  fynodcf  the  i  hboux- 
ing  bifhops  had  afligned  it.  "  Thus,"  fays  Eufe- 
bius,  "  was  he  affected  towards  us  at  that  time. 
"  Afterward),  at  the  infligation  of  others,  he  railed 
11  a  perfecution  again  ft  us,  which  exciied  much 
u  alarm  ;  but  he  had  no  fooner  prepared  his  edict 
li  for  that  purpofe,  than  he  died  by  a  confpiracv  a- 
"  gainfl:  him  in  the  arrhyj."  From  this  time  to  that 
of  Dioclefian  it  does  not  appear  that  there  was  any 
confiderable  perfection  of  the  c:  : 


li 


*  Sozomcui  Kid.  Lib.  ii.  Cap.  6.  p.  52. 

|  Vopitci  Aurel.  Cap.  20.  p.  S52. 

%  Lufcb  Hid.  Lib.  vii,  Cap.  30,  p,  S64 


£28     THE  HISTORY  OF  THE     P&r.  V. 

is  mentioned  by  Eufthius,  though,  as  the  laws  a- 
gainft  them  were  not  repealed,  it  is  very  probable 
that  they  might  fuffer  in  various  places.  There 
are.  indeed,  accounts  of  many  martyrs  in  the  Mar- 
tyr logy,  but  the  authority  of  this  work  is  not  very 

great. 

0 


SECTION     III. 

the    Treatment  rf   Penitents,  and  the  Origin  of 
the  Kcvatians. 


o 


r  N  the  termination  of  the  perfecution 
by  Dec-us,  we  fee  the  pzogrefs  that  fuperftition 
had  made  in  the  minds  of  many  chriftrans.  This 
perfecution  had  been  preceded  by  a  long  ftate  of 
comparative  reft,  attended,  as  has  always  been  the 
cafe,  with  a  proportionable  lukewarmnefs  with 
refpe£  to  religion  ;  fo  that  when  the  chriftians 
were  fuddenly  called  upon  to  renounce  their  reli- 
gion, or  refign   their  potfefiions,    their  liberty  or 

their  lives,  and  lly    to   fuller    torture  alfo, 

great  numbers   were     unable   to    Hand   the    trial. 
Some  complied    without    much   helitation  with 

the 


Sec.  III.       CHRISTIAN  CHURCH.       329 

the   demands  of  the  governors    to  facrifice  to  the 

heathen  gods ;  but  others  thought  to  fatisfy  their 
confeiences  by  eluding  thofe  demands ;  and  this 
they  did  in  various  ways,  but  more  efpecially  by 
procuring,  by  intereft  or  by  money,  certificates  of 
their  having  facrificed,  though  they  had  not  done 
it. 

Though  thefe  perfons  had  not  firmnofs  enougli 
to  die  for  their  religion,  they  did  not  therefore  diU 
believe  it;  and  many  of  them,  when  they  had  re- 
covered from  their  firfl  confirmation,  and  had  felt 
the  pangs  of  remorfe,  openly  renounced  their  re- 
cantations, or  gave  up  their  certificates,  and  eheer- 
fully  fuffered  the  extremity  of  the  law.  And  the 
reft,  when  the  danger  was  over,  earneftly 
wifbed  to  be  leceived  into  the  bofom  of  the 
church  by  fatisfying  the  demands  of  its  regular  of- 
ficers, thinking  that  their  eternal  falvation  depend- 
ed upon  it,  and  that  without  this  no  repentance, 
or  contrition,  would  avail  them  in  the  fight  of 
God. 

According  to  the  eftabliiTied  forms  of  church 
difciplin3  in  thofe  times,  the  peace  of  the  church, 
as  it  was  called,  or  a  refloi  ation  to  communion  with 
it,  could  not  be  given  to  any  pcrfon  without  the 
confent  of  the  bifhop,  together  with  that  of  the  o- 
ther  clergy  and  the  people  •  though  when  the  bifli- 
ops  were  refpedted,  their  influence  would  natural- 
ly be  very  great,  an  J  almoft  decifiye.      Hence  they 

Vol,   I.  S  f  were 


s3o        THE  HISTORY  OF  THE     Pe*.V. 

were  inceffantly  teazed  by  the  lapfed,  and  recourfe 
was  had  to  every  poflible  method  of  gaining  their 
favour;  but  nothing  was  fo  effectual  as  the  recom- 
mendation of  a  martyr  or  a  confefTor  ;  any  perfon 
being  then  coniidered  as  a  martyr  on  whom  fen- 
tence  ot  death  had  been  pafTed,  especially  if  he  had 
fuffered  torture  or  any  other  punifhment;  and  he 
was  a  confessor  who  had  acknowledged  himfelf  to 
be  a  chriftian  before  a  heathen  tribunal,  though  no 
punifhment  had  actually  followed. 

The  martyrs  had,  no  doubt,  great  merit  -}  but 
in  this  age  fomcthing  muft  be  deducted  from  it  on 
account  of  the  fuperftitious  refpecx  that  was  paid 
to  therm  They  were  almoil  idolized  by  their  fel- 
low chriftians,  both  before  and  alter  their  deaths  J, 
and  when  they  lurvived  torture,  or  the  mines,  &c. 
the  homage  that  was  paid  to  them  could  not  fail  to 
hurt  their  minds,  though  they  had  naturally  been 
ever  fo  good.  Accordingly,  many  of  them  were 
intoxicated  with  the  applaufe  which  they  received, 
and  often  made  an  improper  ufe  of  the  influence 
which  they  acquired.  But  though,  on  this  account, 
the  temper  of  mind  with  which  ibrne  endured  mar- 
tyrdom might  be  very  unlike  that  with  which 
Chrift  fuffered,  and  therefore  could  not  be  faid  to 
be  a  proof  of  a  truly  chriftian  character,  it  was  a 
proof  of  their  firm  belief  of  the  truth  of  chriftianity, 
and  confequently  affords  to  us  the  fame  evidence 
of  it. 

It 


Sic.  ITT.     CHRISTIAN   CHURCH.       33i 

It  having  grown  into  an  cftabliflicdcuflom,  th:it 
the  recommendation  of  a  confefFor,  and  especially 
that  of  a  martyr,  fhould  entitle  any  perfon,  with- 
out farther  inquiry,  to  chriflian  communion,  the 
difciplinc  of  the  church  was  greatly  relaxed  by  the 
indiicreet  eafe  with  which  they  oiten  granted  thefe 
tickets  of  recommendation.  They  would  not  on- 
ly give  them  to  perfons  of  whofc  repentance  they 
were  not  well  allured,  but  fomctimes  to  a  particu- 
lar perfon  and  his  friends,  without  dininguifhing 
who  they  were.  Some,  before  they  died,  would 
even  leave  it  in  charge  to  their  friends,  to  grant  the 
peace  of  the  church  in  their  names  to  all  who 
fhculd  apply  for  it;  fo  that  it  muft  have  been 
thought  that  martyrdom  operated  to  expiate  the 
fins  of  others,  as  well  as  thofe  of  the  msrtyr  him- 
felf.  Nay,  it  appears  that  thefe  tickets  wrcre  (bme- 
tirnes  bought  and  fold,  not  peihaps  in  the  firfl  in- 
flance,  but  by  thofe  to  whom  they  had  been  grant- 
ed. 

Thefe  abufes  were  fenfibly  and  ltrenuoufly  op- 
pofedby  Cyprian,  who,  from  the  place  of  his  con- 
cealment in  the  former  perfecution,  wrote  the  mod 
earned  letters  to  the  martyrs  and  confcfTors,  to  hij 
own  clergy  and  the  people,  and  alio  to  the  church 
of  Rome,  on  the  I  fc.      For  the  idea  of  the    ne- 

ceffity  of  an  unif  iifcipfine  in  all  the  great  i 

which    was    pr<  c  of  much    evil    afterwards, 

was  by  this   time  firmly  eftabliflxed;  fo  that  a  am- 
ple 


33 


THE  HISTORY  OF   THE  Per;    V*. 


pie  notification  of  communion  with  any  one  church 
was  a  fufficient  recommendation  to  any  other  ; 
and  for  the  fame  reafon  excommunication  from  any 
church  was  an  excommunication  from  them  all  ; 
dxftant  churches  feldom  thinking  it  neceffary  to 
examine  into  the  grounds  of  proceeding  in  other 
churches,  as  we  have  feen  in  the  cafe  of  Origen. 

To  oppofe  this  baneful  influence  of  the  mar- 
tyrs and  confeffors,  Cyprian  urged  that  the  care  of 
the  church  was  committed  by  Chrifl;  to  the  apof- 
tles,  and  by  them  to  the  ordinary  bifhops  and  cler- 
gy, who  were  refponfible  for  their  conduct  in  it  ; 
and  he  refolutely  refufed  to  receive  any  certificates 
without  reftriction  and  examination.  It  was  ad- 
mitted, however,  by  him,  as  well  as  by  others,  that 
in  the  article  of  death,  the  badge  cf  communion 
ihould  not  be  withheld  from  any  who  had  preferr- 
ed repentance,  as  it  was  neceffary  to  their  dying  in 
peace. 

Thefe  laudable  efforts  oi  Cyprian  were  aided, 
and  rendered  effedual,  by  letters  from  the  clergy, 
and  even  the  confeffors,  at  Rome,  addrefsed  to  the 
church  of  Carthage,  and  to  C\prian  himfelf;  fo 
that  we  hear  no  more  of  this  grols  abufe  in  any 
fubfequent  perfecution,  and  probably  it  was  no 
where  very  great  except  in   Africa  only. 

It  is  no  uncommon  thing  for  one  extreme  to 
produce  another.  At  the  fame  time  that  there 
v  ere  fo  many  juft  complaints  of  the  relaxation  of 

discipline 


Sec.  III.       CHRISTIAN  CHURCH. 


333 


difcipline,  in  confequencc  of  the  improper  inter- 
ference of  the  confeffors,  others,  at  the  head  of 
Whom  was  Novatus,  a  prefbyter  at  Rome,  and  a 
learned  and  refpe&ablc  nun,  maintained  that  they 
who  had  apoftatized  ought  not  on  any  terms,  and 
whatever  profeffions  they  might  make  of  repent- 
ance, to  be  reftored  to  the  peace  of  the  church  ;* 
and  on  this  principle  he  made  himfelf  the  head  of  a 
new  feet  called  Cathari,  on  account  of  their  pro- 
feflTing  greater  purity  than  others-  This  Novatus 
had  firft  feparated  from  the  church  of  Rome, 
and  had  procured  himfelf,  as  it  is  faid,  to  be  e. 
le&ed  bifhop,  in  oppofition  to  Cornelius,  whofe 
election  he  had  oppofed,  and  which  he  pretend- 
ed was  invalid.  However,  he  was  joined  by  fe- 
veral  bifhops  in  Italy,  and  by  fome  confeffors, 
which  in  that  age  was  deemed  agreat  acqui- 
sition ;  but  his  friends  were  mod  numerous  in 
Africa,  though  he  "did  not  fucceed  in  his  attempts 
to  get  the  concurrence  of  Cyprian. 

Jn  this  he  failed,  in  part  perhaps,  on  account 
of  his  being  joined  by  another  Novatus,  a 
prefbyter  of  the  church  of  Carthage,  who  had 
had  fome  difference  with  Cyprian,  and  who,  in 
oppofition  to  him,  had  ordained  Feliciiiimus  a 
deacon,  in  a  feparat<  congregation  in  w  I  pre- 

fided.      For  this,    and   other   crimes    which  were 
laid  to  his  charge,  but  of  which  no  proof   appear*, 

C)  pria a 

*  Eufeb.  Hilt.  Lib.  v,i,  Cap.  43.  p.  31   . 


334       THE  HISTORY  OF  THE  Per.  V. 

Cyprian  propofed  to  have  him  excommunicated  ; 
but  the  breaking  out  of  the  perfecution  put  a  (lop 
to  the  proceeding*. 

In  the  abfence  of  Cyprian,  Novates  ar3  Feli- 
cifiimus  fbengtbenetr  iheir  party  againft  hir/i,  and 
though  at  his  return  he  procured  the  expulfion  of 
Feliciffimus  and  his  friends  ;  they,  defpifing  the 
fentence,  formed  a  new  church  in  Carthage,  and 
chofe  for  the  lifhop  one  Fortunate*,  a  prefbyter 
who  had  been  included  in  the  fentence  of  excom- 
munication*. We  do  not,  however,  hear  any 
thing  more  of  this  fchifm,  and  probably  thofe  of 
whom  it  con  filled  joined  the  party  of  the  Roman 
Novates,  whofe  difciples  foon  formed  feparate 
churches  in  all  parts  of  the  chriflian  world. 

To  decide  concerning  him  and  his  principles, 
a  fynod  was  called  at  Rome*  confiding  of  fixty 
bifnops,  and  a  much  greater  number  of  the  inferi- 
or clergy  ;  and  in  this  Novates  and  his  party  were 
excommunicated,  and  his  opinion  condemned.  A 
fynod  was  alfo  held  it  Carthage  on  the  fame  fub- 
jea,  in  which  Cyprian  prenieel  3  and  in  this  the 
fentence  of  the  fynod  at  Rome  was  confirmed,  and 
particular  rules  were  agreed  upon  relating   to  the 

ad  million 
dings  in  Africa,  I 
:       i     Chriftianorum  Ante 
,   &c)  -ho   colle&ed  them  fr 
die  letters  of  C  •  o  does  not  altogether  ap- 

prove ±c  condudl  of  J:c  bifn<  \  hi  the  bufinefs. 


Sec- III.       CHRISTIAN  CHURCH;      335 

admiffion  of  penitents,  according  to  the  nature 
and  degree  of  their  guilt  j  and  among  thefe  it  was 
determined,  that  the  clergy  who  had  apofbtized  ia 
the  time  of  perfecution.  fliould  only  be  reflored  to 
communion  as  laymen. 

Eufebius  gives  us,  on  this  occalion,  a  letter  from 
Cxcilius  to  Fabius,  bifhop  of  Antioch,  in  which 
he  draws  a  mod  frightful  picture  of  Novatus,  and 
of  his  conduct,  in  procuring  himfelf  to  be  eledted 
bifhop,  and  the  method  he  took  to  keep  his  friends 
attached  to  him  ;  but  it  has  too  much  the  appear- 
ance of  inve&ive  and  calumny.  As  the  Novati- 
ans  boafted  that  the  founder  of  their  faBk  was  a 
martyr,  it  is  probable  that  he  was  one,  and  that  he 
fuffered  in  the  reign  of  Valerian,  as  Cascilius  his 
opponent,  did  in  the  time  of  Callus*. 

By  this  letter  it  appears  that  there  were  in  the 
church  of  Rome  at  this  time  forty-four  prefbyters, 
feven  deacons,  as  many  fubdeacons,  and  fifty-two 
officers  of  inferior  kinds,  more  than  one  hundred 
and  fifty  widows,  Tick  perfons,  or  poor,  who  were 
maintained  out  of  the  funds  of  the  church;  and 
the  common  people  are  (aid  to  beinnumeraMef. 

There  is  alfo  in   Eufebius  an    exc  iter 

of  Dionyfius  bifhop  of  Alexandria  to   Novatus,  re- 
proving him    for   making  a  fcr.iim  in  the  church; 

and 
*  Cypriani  Lp.  p.  >cratis  Hift.  Lib.  i.\  Cap, 

38.  p.  250. 

f  Eufeb.  Hift.  Lib.  vi,  Cap.  1 3.  p.  310. 


336     THE  HISTORY  OF  THE  Per.     V. 

and  exhorting  him  to  reftore  its  union*.  In  ano- 
ther letter  he  condemns  the  harfhnefs  of  Novatus 
and  his  friends,  efpecially  with  refpeft  to  their 
treatment  of  penitents,  and  their  rebaptizing  thofe 
who  quitted  the  communion  of  the  catholic  church 
to  join  them,  as  if  their  former  baptifm  had  been 
of  no  effe&f  • 

It  muft  be  obferved,  however,  that  the  Nova-- 
tians  did  not  maintain  that  all  thofe  who  had  once 
apoftatized  would  be  excluded  from  heaven.  On 
the  contrary,  they  encouraged  their  repentance, 
but  left  them  to  the  judgement  of  God,  keeping 
their  own  church  pure  from  fo  great  a  ftain  as 
they  confidered  apoflacy,  and  probably  other 
great  offences,  to  be.  They  alfo  thought  that  no 
other  church  could  be  deemed  pure,  or  its  ordinan- 
ces valid,  which  admitted  fuch  improper  members. 
It  is  very  poffible,  therefore,  that  many  perfons  of 
the  moll  exemplary  piety  and  virtue  might  chufe 
to  join  a  church  which  profeiled  fuch  great  Uriel- 
nefs. 

The  feci:  ot  Novalians  continued  till  after  the 
middle  of  the  fifth  century,  and  their  maxim  of 
rebaptizing  thofe  who  joined  them  from  other 
churches,  was  adopted  by  the  Donatifts.  Cypri- 
an and  the  bilhops  of  Africa  had  no  reafon  to  com- 
plain of  the    Novations  for  rebaptizing   thofe  who 

joined 

*  Eufeb-  Hift.  Lib.  vi,  Cap,  45.  p.  318. 
t  Ibid.  Lib.  vii,  Cap.  8-  p.  328; 


Sec  III.       CHRISTIAN  CHURCH.      337 

joined  them  from  oilier  churches  ;    fine.:  t:i,y  h:id 
given  it  as  their  lolemn    opinion  that    all    h 
{hould  be  rebapt.zcd  j    and   fincc    the    N ovatians 
were  confidered  as  heretics  by  the    catholic. 
would,   no    doubt,    confider    them    ill     the    bjne 
light. 

The  queftion  about  rebaptizing  heretics  was  at 
this  very  tune  agitated  with  great  carneftnefs  in  A- 
frica  ;  and  a  council  on  the  fubjeci  was  held  at 
Carthage,  a.  d.  215.  In  this  Cyprian  prefided, 
and  it  was  unanimously  determined  that  the  bap- 
tifm  of  heretics  fhould  be  confidered  as  invalid, 
and  in  this  he  had  the  concurrence  of  Finnilian, 
and  probably  that  ot  the  eaftern  churches  in  gener- 
al ;  who,  in  a  council  held  at  Iconium  in  Phrygia, 
confiding  of  the  bifhops  of  Galatia,  Cilicia;  and 
the  neighbouring  provinces,  agreed  that  heretics 
fhould  not  be  received  into  the  church  without 
being  rebaptized.  This  we  learn  from  the  epiftle 
or  Firmilian  in  the  works  of  Cyprian-*'.  To  fhe.v 
that  baptifm  in  all  the  ufuai  forms  could  not  al- 
ways be  confidered  as  valid,  or  have  the  effeflb 
of  a  real  baptifm,  he  mentions  a  cafe  of  its  being 
adminiflered  by  a  woman  cut  of  her  fenfes,  or,  as 
he  thought,  actuated  by  a  daemon,  probably  one  of 
the  Montanifls,  who  were  often  confidered  In  that 
light.  "  Could  the  remifHon  of  fins  and  regenera- 
"  tion,"  he  fays,  "  be   given    by  fuch   a   baptifm." 

Vol.   I.  Tt  In 

•Epift.p,  221. 


338         THE  HISTORY  OF  THE     Per.  V. 

In  this  we  fee  the  fuperftition  of  this   good  man, 
and  of  the  times. 

In  this  cpiflle  Firmilian  anfwers  what  had 
been  alleged  by  Stephen  bifhop  of  Rome,  who 
not  only  oppofed  the  rebaptizing  of  heretics,  but 
had  excommunicated  the  African  churches  for  do- 
ing it,*  and  he  alleges  among  other  things  that  the 
church  of  Rome  had  not  in  all  things  kept  to  the 
anticnt  and  apoftolical  pra&ifes,  as  with  refpeft  to 
the  celebration  of  Eafter  and  other  things. 

Afterwards  it  came  to  be  a  received  maxim, 
and  was  confirmed  by  the  council  of  Nice,  that  if 
the  heretics  had  uied  the  p;  oper  form  of  baptifnij 
that  is,  if  they  had  baptized  in  the  name  of  the  Fa- 
ther, the  Son,  and  the  Holy  Ghost,  it  mould  be  deem- 
ed valid,  and  therefore  mould  not  be  repeated  :  it 
being  thought  impious  to  treat  a  real  facrament  as 
if  it  had  no  virtue  in  it,  fuch  was  the  fuperftiticn 
with  which  this  rite  was  then  considered. 

This  opinion,  however,  was  not  always  able 
to  give  fatiefaclion  to  perfons  of  a  timorous  difpo- 
fifion,  who  were  afraid  thai  they  had  not  received 
the  true  baptifm.  Dionyfiusof  Alexandria  defcribes 
a  cafe  of  this  kind,  with  . _  \..  1.  to  which  he  appears 
not  to  have  known  how  to  ac\  in  a  Liter  to  Xiftus 
bifhop  of  Rome.  A  per  fen  w  ho  had  been  bapti- 
zed by  feme  heretics  (cf  what    denomination   is 

not 

*Ri:xnpens  julvcrfusvos  pacem?  Cypriain  Opera,  p« 
220. 


Sec.  III.      CHRISTIAN  CHURCH.      339 

not  mentioned)  applied  to  him   to  be  rrbnptizcd, 
ufi'ng  the  molt  earned  entreaties  for   that  p 
and    though  he  toM  him  thar  he  could  n»t   re 
larly  do  it,  and  that  in  his  opinion  the  communion 
of  the  Lord's  fupper,  to  which  he  would  be  admit- 
ted,  mi|nt  fatisfy  him,  he  (till  had  the  greatefl  dread 
of  communicating  in  thofe  circumflances,  as  one  of 
the  Unworthy  persons  mentioned  by  Paul,  who  cat 
and  if  ink  divination  io  themselves.     It  was  even 
with  great  difficulty  that  this  perfon  could  be  pre- 
vailed upon  to  attend  the  prayers  which  accompa- 
nied the  celebration  of  the  euchaiift.     Dionyiius 
writes   to  the  bifhop  of  Rome  to  know  what  he 
mould  do  in  fuch  a  cafe  as   this.*      What  anf.ver 
Xiftus  returned,  does  not  appear.     Indeed,  I   do 
not   fee  how  they  could  fatisfy  the  fcruplcs  of  this 
man,  in  whofe  mind  the  opinions  of  divines,  and 
even  of  councils,  fcem  to  have  had  but  little  weight. 
There  were   two  cafes  refpecung   the  baptiffto 
of  heretics,  one  that  of  thofe  who  had  always  been 
fuch,  and  the  other  that  of  thofe  who  had   left  the 
catholic  church  to  join  any  heretical  fociety  ;    and 
to  the   former  more  favour  was  fhevvn  than  to  the 
latter.     But  Dionyfius  fays  he  had  learned  of  h» 
predeceflor   Heraclas,  to  receive  both   without  re- 
baptizing  ;    becaufe  they  had   received  the   Iloiy 
Spirit,  f  as  if  that  was   the  neceiTary   confequence 

of 

*   Eufeb.  Ilia.  Lib.  vii.  Cap.  9.  p.  329. 

-;•  Some  luSS.  have  not  the  ward  Jpjrit  ;  and  accor- 


34o       THE  HISTORY  OF   THE  Per,    V. 

of  baptifm  in  the  proper  form.  At  the  fame  time 
this  excellent  man  reprefents  the  deciupu  or  the 
>if.ican  churches  as  no  new  things  but  as  the  fnme 
with  that  of  the  churches  of  A iia  at  Iconium  and 
Synnada  long  before  ;  and  feems  to  intimate  that 
what  had  once  been  fettled  on  a  fabject  oi  rr.4G  na- 
ture, in  any  place,  mould  not  be  altered,  quoting 
the  hw  of  Mofes,  Thcu  /halt  not  remove  the  land 
TiiGrli  ;  at  leail  that  they  mould  not  be  difturbed 
t :•.  other  churches  on  that  account.*  This  was 
a.$jng  v>i;h  die  moderation  of  a  cbrifiian,  and  a 
lover  of  peace.  Jerom  reprefents  him  as  agreeing 
m  opinion  with  Cyprian  and  the  African  churches. 
All  the  ecckfiaitical  hiitorians  make  great  la- 
mentations on  account  of  the  ichifrn  that  was  made 
in  the  chriftiau  church  by  the  Novatians,  whofe 
difference  from  the  Catholics  refpe&ed  matters  of 
difcipline  only*  On  the  contrary,  I  cannot  Ldp 
thinking  that  this  breach  in  the  unity  of  the  chrif- 
tian  church  in  that  age,  and  other  fimilar  breaches 
at  other  times,  have  had  a  very  happy  effeci  upon 
the  whole. 

Befides  promoting  free  inquiry  and  difcufHon, 

hout  which  no  iubjecs  can  be  well  underltood, 

and  which  is  neceflary  to  give  a  general  confidence 

in  what   (hall  be   afterwards    acquiefced  in,  feels 

were 

■  to  them,  Dionyfius  only  laid,  that  they  had  alrea- 
t     received  a  hok  ,  or  true  baptism. 

*  Lufeb.  Hilt.  Lib.  vi,  Cap.  8,  p.  327. 


Sec.  III.      CHRISTIAN   CHURCH.       3iT 

were  the  means  of  preventing  that  overbearing  au- 
thority which'  the  whole  chriliian  church  united 
could  not  have  failed  to  have,  and  which,  if  th 
had  been  no  place  of  retreat  from  its  power,  wo\ 
have  been  infupportable.  What  would  have  been 
the  terror  of  an  excommunication  from  fucfa  a 
church,  and  how  would  it  have  been  pofliblo  Co 
obrfeel;  any  abufe  in  fuch  circumftances  ? 

That  families  and  friends  fhould  have  been  di- 
vided, and  that  thofe  divifions  fhoula  have  been 
the  caufe  of  fo  much  animolity  as  often  took  place  i 
on  thefe  occafions,  is,  no  doubt,  to  be  lamented. 
But  this  was  an  evil  that  did  -not  necelfarily  arife 
from  fc6b  in  religion,  but  only  from  that  unreafon- 
ablefpirit  of  bigotry  in  men,  which  could  not  bear 
with  patience  that  others  mould  think  or  a6r,  differ- 
ently from  them  ;  that  very  bigotry,  which  a  num- 
ber of  feels,  and  their  iiecefTary  confequences,  can 
alone  cure.  Private  animofity  was  an  evil  infepa- 
rable  'from  the  promulgation  of  chriftianity  itfelf, 
and  was  diftinclly  foretold  by  our  Saviour. 

The  excellent  character  of  many  of  the  Nova- 
tian  bifhops,  we  fhall  find  to  have  been  cf  great 
ufe  in  exciting  the  emulation  of  tht  catholic  bifh- 
ops, and  in  checking  that  abufe  of  power,  and  other 
irregularities,  which  would  have  difgraced  chriftia- 
nity  infinitely  more  than  thefe  divifions  which  are 
lb  much  complained  of.  The  fchifm  made  by  Lu- 
ther, fo  much  oppofed   and  lamented  at  the   time, 

has 


342       THE  HISTORY  OF  THE  Per,  V, 

has  been  a  means  of  reforming  the  church  of  Rome 
itfelf;  and  the  benefit  which  the  eflabliftied  church 
of  England  derives  from  the  DifTenters  is  too  ap- 
parent to  be  denied  by  any  man  of  cool  |obferva- 
tion.  It  has  been  acknowledged  by  the  Englifii 
clergy  themfelves.  But  ecclefiaftical  hiftorians 
have  been  ftruck  with  the  immediate  and  tempo- 
rary evils  arifing  from  the  divinon  of  the  chriftian 
church  by  numerous  fe&s  and  parties,  2nd  have 
not  fuSciently  reflected  on  the  more  remote^  but 
neccflary,  and  highly  beneficial,  ufes  of  them. 


SECTION     IV. 

Of  the  Origin  of  the  Monks, 


r 


HE  perfection  of  Decius,  which  fell 
particularly  heavy  op  Egypt,  gave  occafion  to  the 
rife  of  another  fpecies  of  fa  per  Hi  (ion,  which  from 
fmall  beginnings  extended  itfelf  over  the  whole 
ehriftian  world,  and  which,  with  fome  good,  was 
productive  of  much  evil,  fo  as  to  make  a  very  im- 
portant 


S*c.  IV.       CHRISTIAN  CHURCH.       3B 

portant  period  in  the  hiftory  of  the  chi  iilian  church. 
I  mean  that  fpecies  of  fuperftition,  under  the  in- 
fluence of  which  pcrfons  have  thought  there  was  a 
real  merit  in  bodily  au  fieri  ty,  and  in  excluding 
themfelves  from  the  common  comforts  arid  enjoy- 
ments of  life,  elpecially  in  leading  fingle  lives,  and 
being  in  all  refpecls  as  far  removed  as  poflible  from 
all  commerce  with  the  world. 

It  is  evident  that  nothing  of  this  kind  was  pre- 
fer bed  by  Chrift,  or  the  apoflles.  Every  perfon 
is  by  them  fuppofed  to  live  in  fociely,  and  is  ex- 
horted to  do  the  duties  of  it,  and  to  be  ufeful  in  it. 
Celibacy  is,  indeed,  recommended  by  the  apoftle 
Paul,  but  only  for  prudential  reafons,  as  fubjec"i- 
ing  men  to  lefs  inconvenience  in  time  of  difficulty 
and  perfecution  3  and  the  flate  of  marriage  is  al- 
ways fpoken  of  as  honourable.  Nor  does  it  ap- 
pear that,  even  in  this  age,  any  chriflian  adopted 
this  new  mode  of  life  on  the  principles  on  which 
it  was  recommended  afterwards.  The  fir  ft  her- 
mits were  men  who  had  been  driven  by  perfecu- 
tion to  a  diftance  from  cities  ;  and  being  obliged 
to  conceal  themfelves  in  defert  places,  far  from  hu- 
man fociety,  but  being  able  to  fubfift  (eithsr  from 
the  natural  fruits  of  the  ground,  their  own  labour, 
or  the  charity  of  others)  they  by  degrees  acquired 
a  fondnefs  for  it  ;  and  their  fatisfa&ion  in  it  would, 
no  doubt,  be  increafed  by  the  refpe£t  that  was  paid 
them,  on    account  of  their  great  fan&ity,  as  men 

whe 


344     THE  HISTORY  OF  THE  Per.     V. 

who  bad  abandoned  the  world,  and  all  the  enjoy. 
ments  ©fit,  for  the  fake  of  religion  J  fo  that  they 
were  confidered  in  the  fame  light  as  martyrs  and 
conieflbrs ;  and  fuch  fome  ot  them  were.  The 
fame  idea  ot  fanclity  was  by  degrees  transferred  to 
thofe  who  chofe  the  fociety  of  the  original  hermits, 
who  relieved  their  wants  in  their  rigid  mode  of  life, 
and  were  induced  to  adopt  the  fame  themfelves. 
At  firft  alfo  they  did  not  make  any  vows,  by  which 
they  bound  themfelves  either  to  live  fingle  liver, 
or  to  renounce  the  world  in  any  refpccl ;  but  they 
mixed  wtth  it,  whenever  they  thought  they  could 
do  it  with  {afety  to  themfelves,  or  advantage  to  o- 
thers. 

Beiides  the  habit  of  living  in  folitude,  to  which 
the  chriftians  were  driven  by  perfecution,  fome 
maxims  which  had  their  origin  in  heathenifm, 
greatly  contributed  to  recommend  this  auflere 
mode  of  life.  The  doclrine  of  a  %ouly  as  an  imma- 
terial fubflance  diRinct  from  the  body,  and  capa- 
ble of  fubfifting  in  a  flate  of  much  greater  perfecti- 
on and  happinefs  without  it,  which  was  fir  ft  adopt- 
ed by  the  heathen  philoibphers,  was  by  this  time 
almofl  univerfally  received  among  chriilians  ;  and 
from  this  fruitful  principle,  among  other  cenfe- 
quences  highly  unfavourable  to  genuine  chriflian- 
ity,  there  foon  arofe  the  idea  of  endeavouring  to  de- 
tach the  foul  from  the  body  as  much  as  poftible, 
even   during  their  connexion,  which  was   always 

thought 


Skc.  IV.      CHRISTIAN  CHURCH.         31  , 

thought  to  be  unfavourable  to  the  fpiritual   p      pi 

man,  and    D  .1/  to   contaminate    it.      Every 

tiling,  therefore,  which  tended  to  reconcile  the  foul 
to  its  flefhy  tabcrn.i  le,  fuch  asfenfualii 

of  all   kinds,    even    thofc  which  hud  alw 

deemed  innocent,  was  to  be  carefully  avoi 
Whatever  tended  to  mortify  the  body  was  conceiv- 
ed to  be  for  the  advantage  of  the  foul  ;  and  the 
ftatc  thenearefl  to  this  ideal  perfe£lfori  was  thought 
to  be  that  in  which  lite  could  be  fupported  wi  i 
the  feweft  enjoyments,  or  corporeal  gratifications 
pofftble.  Even  thofe  of  the  eye  and  the  ear,  which 
were  always  deemed  to  be  the  mod  refined  of  cor- 
poreal pleafarcs  were  reprobated. 

At  the  fame  time  that  the  antient  heaihen  r  :Ii- 
gions  allowed,  upon  fome  cccafjons,    the  grofTeft 
fenfual  indulgences,  in   other  cafes  they  impofed 
a£b  of  the  greateft  rigour,  and  required  the  molt 
coilly  facrifices ;  fome  of  their  gods  being  of  fu 
a  difpouiiou,  that  it  was  thought  nothing  elfe  would 
conciliate  them.  Hence  many  of  the  heathen  priefls 
who  devoted  themfelves  to  the  peculiar  fen  ice  of 
thefe  gods,   fubmitted  to  great  mortifications,  as 
falling  &c.    and   performed  upon  themfelves 
rnoft  painful  operations,  fuch  as  cutting  their  fl 
o:c.  to  fay  nothing  of  trieir  humai 
the  molt  fhecking  cruelties  committed  upon  others. 
Some  of  the  male  priefls  cafirated  themfelves,  and 
the  women  devoted  themfelves  to  a  Hate  c: 

l,   I.  U  u  itj\ 


346        THE  HISTORY  OF    THE  Per,    V. 

ity.  All  thefe  things  had  been  deemed  acls  of  he- 
roilm,  and  without  the  leaft  regard  to  moral  vir- 
tue, had  been  thought  to  recommend  men  to  the 
favour  of  the  gods. 

In  thefe  things,  unfortunately,  the  chriftians 
vied  with  thQ  heathens,  being  afhamed  not  to  be 
able  to  make  as  great  facrinces  to  true  religion,  as 
any  perfons  had  ever  done  to  falfe  ones.  Hence 
fome  chriftian  hermits  feem  to  have  emulated  the 
feverities  of  the  Indian  Faquirs,  making  a  merit  of 
the  mere  enduring  of  pain,  and  the  renunciation 
of  all  the  comforts  and  enjoyments  of  life. 

Laftly,  the  Pythagorean  and  Platonic  philofo- 
phers,  whofe  writings  the  learned  chriftians  chiefly 
ltudied,  thought  that,  by  the  force  of  contemplati- 
on, they  could,  in  a  great  meafure,  detach  the  foul 
from  the  body,  and  thus  re-sfcend  to  that  ftate  of 
union  with  Godt  which  all  fouls  were  fuppofed  to 
have  had  before  they  were  feparated  from  that  one 
great  fource  of  intelligence,  and  in  which  they  ex- 
pected to  be  abicrbed,  after  undergoing  a  ftate  of 
discipline  in  this  louver  world  ;  and  the  reveries 
they  naturally  fell  into  in  a  ftate  of  long  filence 
aad  folitude,  to  which, for  this  purpofe,  they  fome- 
times  gave  themfelves  up  (a  ftate  in  which  they 
were  hardly  fcnfible  of  the  prefence  of  any  mate- 
rial objects)  they  imagined  to  be  this  detached  and 
exalted  condition  of  the  foul,  fuch  as  it  would  at- 
tain to  in  an  unembodied  ftate, 

Chriftians 


Sec.  IV.      CHRISTIAN   CHURCH.       31 


31/ 


ChriHiars  deeply  linclured  with  thefe   not' 
thought  th  x  prayer  would  greatly   aflift    in 
grand  operation,  and  do  more  for  them  than  m 

meditation  could  for  the  heathen  philofopbers. 
Hence,  vo  the  moft  mortified  ftate  that  the  body 
couid  bear,  they  added  the  mental  exercifes  .'  in- 
ceif.int  meditation  and  prayer;  and  this  indolent 
ive  mode  of  life  they  imagined  to  h^  the 
mod  p  tt  human  nature  was    capable  of  in 

this  worli. 

But  as  it  was  neceflary  for  tlie  prefcrvation  of 
mankind,  that  fome  perfons  fhouid  marry,  and  do 
the  common  offices  of  human  life,  and  therefore 
thefe  things  could  not  be  abfolutely  faid  to  be  fin- 
fuj,  chriflians  followed  the  heathen  philofophcrs  in 
adopting  the  idea  of  two  claffes  of  men,  the  operative 
and  the  contemplative,  and  of  the  greater!  inferiori- 
ty of  the  former  to  the  latter.  Thofe  perfons  who 
performed  thefe  common  offices  of  life,  and  j  . 
took  of  the  common  enjoyments  of  it,  feeling  a 
natural  reluQance  to  the  idea  of  abandoning  them, 
were  eafily  led  to  form  the  idea  of  the  fuperior 
excellence,  as  well  as  of  the  greater  difficulty,  of  a 
ftate  of  mortification,  and  were  glad  to  minifter  to 
all  the  wants  of  the  contemplative  order  of  chris- 
tians, frorn  the  benefit  they   hoped  to  derive  from 

r  prayers,  which  thej  conceived  to  be  fir  more 

itorious  and  of!  . .        than  their  own. 

Thus  did   heathen  maxims,  in  the  moft  fpecU 

cus 


34 


8         THE  HISTORY  OF  THE     Per.  V. 


cms  and  lead  fufpecled  manner,  introduce    theni- 

3  into  ctmftianity,  and  debafe  the  genuine  fpi- 
ritofit;  and  by  this  means  were  men  gradually 
led  to  place  the  greateft  merit  in  things  that  had  no 
relation  to  moral  virtue.  And  what  was  of  ft  ill 
worfe  confequence,  mankind  having,  as  they 
thought,  this  fure  way  of  making  themfelves  ac- 
ceptable to  God,  were  too  apt  to  nebic&  any  o- 
zr  and  even  thought  to  make  atonement  for 
ir  vices  by  thofe  aufterities,  or  thofe  donations 
which,  were  thought  to  be  equivalent  to  them. 
For  it  has  been  univerfally  olfcrved,  that  the  pre- 

nce  c;  fcperftitiori  has  always  been  attended 
with  a  proportional  difregard  of  moral  virtue. 

The  duties  of  fiipcrftitibri  have  this  to  recom- 
mend them,  that  it  is  eafily  known  when  they  a:e 
discharged  ;  whereas  the  moral  improvement  of 
the  temper  and  difpofition  of  mind  is  alefs  definite, 
and  more  uncertain  thing,  Co  as  io  be  \e[s  eafily  ef- 
tirnated.  And  when  a  man  is  perfuaded  that  he 
can  fecure  his  future  falvation  by  failing,  by  pe- 
nance, or  by  money,  he  will  generally  acquiefce 
in  it  rather  than  have  recourfe  to  that  iconflant 
:  tention  to  his  heart  and  life,  which  true  chrifliani- 
ty  requires. 

Notwithftanding  this  injury  done  to  chriftia- 
:        j     the  maxims  of  heathenifm,  there  was  fome- 

a  in  it,  and  infepcrafele  from  it,  which  preferr- 
ed it  Ircm  lhatoeplcrablr  wretched  and  contempti- 
ble 


Sec.  IV.       CHRISTIAN  CHURCH.       S19 

ble  flate  in  which  mere  heathenifm  left  men.  Mor- 
al precepts,  efpecially  thofeof  humility,  mecknefs, 
benevolence,  and  heavenly  rhlndednefs,  are  fo 
quently  inculcated  in  the  goTpel,  that  they  c 
not  be  wholly  overlooked.  Consequently,  alm^ft 
all  the  orders  of  monks,  notwithstanding  the  time 
they  gave  to  meditation  and  pray 31,  and  the  fe- 
verities  they  excrcifed  upon  themfelves,  practiCed 
fonie  acts  of  beneficence,  and  ftudicd  to  be  ufeful 
to  the  world  ;  not  to  obferve  that  their  reading  of 
the  fcriptures,  and  prayers,  together  with  their  ha- 
bitual endeavours  to  raife  their  minds  above  this 
world,  and  to  prepare  themfelvcs,  in  their  way, 
for  another  (about  which  the  heathens  knew  noth- 
ing at  all)  v/ould  render  them,  perfonally  confidered, 
fuperior  characters  to  any  that  mere  heathenif:n 
could  produce.  And,  indeed,  it  is  evident  that, 
in  the  early  ages  (in  the  middle  ages  too,  and  I 
believe  at  the  pre  font  time  alfo)  the  generality 
monks,  notwithftanding  the  factious  difpofition  of 
fomc,  and  the  hypocrify  and  fecret  fenfuality  of  o> 
thers,  have  lived  very  innocent  lives,  and  many  of 
them  highly  ufeful  ones,  efpecially  by  their  appli- 
cation to  literature. 

For  it  mull  not  be  forgotten,   that  it  is  (o  the 
inoiiks  th«*t  we  are  indebted  for  a  ,  reat  part  of  w 
now  remains  of  the  learning  of         antients.     The 
northern  nations,  which  firfl  ovei  whelmed  the  Ro- 
man empire,  had  been  previoufly  converted  to  clnif- 

tianity  ; 


25o     THE  HISTORY  OF  THE  Pir,    \\ 

tianity  ;  and  the  refpe&  which  they  had  for  monks 
afttj  monailerks,  made  thofe  places  a  valuable  and 
happy  afylum  (or  letters.  It  was  alfo  happy  that, 
in  a  time  of  iuch  general  confufion  as  that  in  which 
all  the  Hates  in  Europe  were  for  feveral  centuries 
involved,  there  was  any  place  of  fafe  retreat  for 
tjipfe  who  were  difgufted  with  the  world,  and  wifh- 
ed   to    retire  from    it,  ir  they  were  driven 

thj$3  -     r  their  own  crimes,  or  hy  the 

violence  of  others. 

The  fir  ft  hermits  that  we  read  of  were  feme 
who  took  refuge  in  Upper  Egypt,  or  Thebais,  du- 
ring the  persecution  of  Decius,  remote  from  Alex- 
andria and  the  fea  coaft ;  and  one  Paul  is  menti- 
oned, as  a  perfon  who  diftisguifhed  himfelf  the 
mod  by  his  jfplitary  life  in  that  country.  It  is  (aid 
hy  Jerom,  who  writes  his  life,  that  being  heir  to  a 
a  preat  patrimony,  his  lifter's  hufband,  in  order  to 
get  poffeflion  of  it,  informed  againfthim,  and  that 
upon  this  1iq  fled  to  the  mountainous  parts  of  The- 
bais, where  be  was  fafe  from  his  purfuers.  This 
place,  however,  he  quitted  feveral  times;  but  at 
length,  finding  a  convenient  cavern  in  a  rock,  he 
lived  there  ninety  years,  dying  at  the  age  of  one 
huncied  and  thirteen.  We  fiball  have  cccafion  e- 
nouoh  to  fpeak  of  the  followers  of  this  Paul  in  the 
•  ;ed'ng  periods  of  this  hiftory. 

S  E  C- 


Sec.  V.  CHRISTIAN   CHURCH.      Hi 


SECTION     V, 


Of  Uniiarianifm  in  this  Period. 


w 


E  have  feen  that  unitarianifm  was 
the  belief  of  all  the  chriftian  world  during  the  age 
of  the  apoftles,  and  till  the  time  of  Juflin  Martyr, 
when  he,  and  fome  other  Platonic  phLlofophers, 
being  converted  to  chriftianity,  mixed  their  pecu- 
liar notions  with  it.  In  this  they  acted  with  per- 
fect integrity,  though  they  wer#,  no  doubt,  biafled 
in  ire  than  they  thei)  -  of,  fey  the 

flattering  idea  of  reptefe  on  to  them- 

felves,  and  others,  in  a  more  refpedbblc  light  than 
that  of  the  doctrine  of  a  man  who  had  bctn  cruci- 
fied. They  therefore  held  that  Chrift  was  nc:  a 
mere  man,  but  that  the  logos,  the  power  and  wif- 
dom  of  the  one  fupreme  God,  had  been,  in  1 
ineffable  manner,  <.  irom  him,  lo  as  to  be- 

come a  difdnct  perfon  j  and  that  this  logos  was  fa 
united  to  Jefus,  that  by  virtue  of  it  he  was  intitied 
to  the  appellation  of  God. 

Still,  hoxever,  not  to  alarm  the  co:r.:non  peo- 
ple, who  juftly  dreaded  the  doctrine  ol  a  fecond 
God,  they  always  fpoke  of  Chrift,   though  a   God, 


35' 


THE  HISTORY  OF  THE  Per.   V. 


as  greatly  inferior  to  the  Father,  as  having  derived 
every  thing  from  him,  who  was  alone  [uwp%<&>~]  with- 
out origin^  and  intirely  fubfervient  to  his  will. 
They  were  alfo  far  from  molefting  the  common  peo- 
ple, who  retained  the  plain  do&rine  of  one  God, 
and  who  confidered  Chrift  as  a  man  infpired  by 
God.  Thinking  themfelves  much  fuperior  to  them 
in  knowledge,  they  rather  defpifed  them  for  their 
weaknefs,  and  their  incapacity  to  comprehend  this 
fublime  do-crrine  which  they  had  imbibed. 

In  this  light  Origen  always  exhibits  his  own 
opinion  and  theirs.  "  There  are/'  fays  he,*  "  who 
'<  partake  of  the  logos  which  was  from  the  begin- 
"  ning,  the  logos  that  was  with  God,  and  the  lo- 
<•'  <tqs  that  was  God— —but  there  are  others  who 
il  know  nothing  but  Jefus  Chrift,  and  him  crucifi- 
te  ed,  the  legos  that  was  made  fleib,  thinking  they 
"  have  every  thing  of  the  logos  when  they  acknow- 
"  led^e  Chrift  according  to  the  flefh.  Such  is  the 
"  multitude  of  thofe  who  are  called  chriftians." 
Again,  he  fays.t  "  the  [multitudes,"  that  is  the 
great  mafs  or  body,  "  of  the  believers  are  inflru£ted 
"  in  the  madow  of  the  logos,  and  not  in  the  tiue 
"  lo^os  of  God."     That  Tertullian  confidered  the 

o 

greater  part  of  chriftians  as  dreading    the  doc~ir:r:c 

of  the  trinity  in  his  time,  and  as  adhering  ftricTly. 
to  that  of  the  folc   monarchy  of  God   the  Father, 

we 

*  Comment,  in  Julian,  Vol.  ii,  p.  49.  , 

t  Ibid,  vol,  ii,  p.  52. 


S«c.  V.       CHRISTIAN  CHURCH.         ,-» 

QOtS 

We  have  feen  already.  Unfortunately,  the  writings 
of  all  the  ancient  unitarians  are  loft.  Bat  (till 
there  is  evidence  fufficient  of  there  havin  »  been 
writers  who  maintained  their  opinion  againft  the 
learned  Platonifts.  Bsryllus  is  faid  to  have  been 
an  elegant  writer.  Artemon  and  Theodotus,  in 
the  preceding  period,  were  alio  writers,  and  they 
had  many  admirers. 

In  the  period  of  which  I  am  now  treating,   the 
platonizing  bifhops  were  unqueftionably  more  nu- 
merous than  any   other ;  and  to  this  the  fchool  of 
Alexandria,   and   the   reputation    of   Origen,  had 
probably  contributed  j   the  moft    eminent  of  the 
bifhops  having  been  the  difciples  of  Origen,   fuch 
as  DionyGus  of  Alexandria,  Gregory  of  Neocacfa- 
rea,  and    Firmilian  of  Cappadocia.      It  is  proba- 
ble, however,  that  thefe  men,  efpecially  the  two  Lft, 
retained  the  moderation,  as  well  as  the  doctrine,  of 
Origen  on  this  fubjeft.      For   they  were    far  from 
proceeding  with  the  decifion  and   violence   of  the 
Catholics  of  a  later  period,  when  the  unitarian  doc- 
trine came  before  them. 

Thofe  who  incurred  cenfure  for  holding  the 
unitarian  doctrine  in  this  period  were  Noetus  of 
Smyrna  or  Ephefus,  Sabellius  in  Africa,  and  Pau- 
lus  Samofatenfis  bifhop  of  Antioch.  Noetus  is 
not  mentioned  by  Eufebius  ;  but  Epiphanius  and 
others  fpeak  of  him  as  the  head  of  a  feci,  who  were 
called  Noetians  after  him.  He  probably  flourifh- 
Vol.  I.  W  w  ed 


354       THE  HISTORY  OF  THE     Per.  V, 

cd  not  long  after,  a.  d.  220,  and  what  he  wrote  on 
thefubieawas  replied  to  by    Hippolytus.     But 
neither  the  woiLsot  Noetus,  nor  that  of  his  anfwer- 
er,  are  now  extant.     At  lead   the   genuineneis   of 
t;     tfaft  which  goes  under  the  nr.me  of   Hippoly- 
tus is  q'leftioned.     Noetus,  perfifting  in  his  opini- 
ons was  expelled  from  the  church  of  which  he  was 
a  member,   together  with   thofe  who  were  of  the 
lame  opinion   wfttf  him;  and  Prcdeftinatus   fays 
that  he  was  alto  condemned  by  Tranquiiius  bifhop 
of  Chalcedoh  in  Syria.* 

There  are,  however,  fo  many  improbable  cir- 
cum  Ranees  in  Epiphanius's  account  of  Noetus,  and 
alfo  of  his  brother  (fuch  as  his  pretending  that  he 
was  Mofes,  and  his  brother  Aaron,  and  that  when 
they  died  the  orthodox  refufed  to  bury  themf) 
that  there  is  but  little  to  be  depended  upon  in  what 
he  fays  concerning  him  and  his  followers,  except 
that  they  were  unitarians.  Theodoret  fays  that 
Noetus  was  the  difcipleof  Epigonus,  and  that  he 
was  followed  by  Cleomenes.J 

Eufebius  fays  but  little  of  Sabdlius,  who  is 
fuppofed  to  have  pubJifhed  thefe  writings  which 
gave  offence  to  the  orthodox,  as  they  called  them- 
f elves  about  a.  d-  255,  or  256,  and  which  were  an- 
fwered  by  Dionyfius  of  Alexandria  in  257,  or  258. 

So  manv  bifhops  of  Africa  were  then    unitarians, 
7  that 

*  Lardner's  Works*  Vol.  iii,  p.  12. 
t  liter.  57.  Opera,  Vol.  i,  p.  480. 
J  Bar.  Fab.  Lib*  iii,  Cap,  3,  Opera,  Vol.  Wi  p,  227 


Sic  V,        CHRISTIAN  CHURCH.         355 

that  Athanafius  fays,  "  (be  Son  of  Gjd,"  meaning 
hifi  divinity,  "  was  fcarctly  any  longer  preached 
"in  the  churches  ;'*  and  Sabellius  was  fo  diftia- 
guifhed  a  pcrfon,  Chat  the  unitarians  went  by  his 
name  even  in  the  time  of  Auflin,  fchottgfa  ; 
ral  it  had  given  place  to  t!  is,   from 

Photinus  bifhop  of  '  im,  and  a  much  more  e- 

minent  writer.  So  popular  was  unitariaaifin  in 
this  age,  that,  according  to  Epiphanius  v/hen  'he 
unitarians  met  wit!i  any  of  the  plainer  chrifiians, 
they  would  fay,  "  Well  friend,  what  doclrine  mall 
"  we  hold,  fhall  we  acknowledge  one  God  or  three/' 
By  this  fhort  and  plain  argument  he  acknowledg- 
ed that  they  gained  the  pious  and  plain  people  to 
join  them.* 

Noetus,  if  Epiphanius  may  be  credited,  was 
excommunicated  irom  his  own  church,  of  which, 
as  he  was  a  writer,  it  is  probable  that  he  might  be 
aprefbyter;  but  it  is  remaikable  that,  though  Sa- 
bellius Wcis  much  more  known,  and  his  opinions 
generally  prevailed,  at  leaft  in  Africa,  there  was 
no  council  called  on  his  account,  no  examination 
of  his  opinions,  nor  any  public  cenfure  of  them  ; 
when  a  preceding  biihop  of  Alexandria  had  called 
a  council  for  the  purpofe  oi  condemnirig  Origen. 
It  does  not  appear  that  xny  application  was  ever 
made  to  Sabellius  Mmfeif  byariy  chriftian  bifhop 
or  writer.     All  that  we  hear  of,  as    written  againft 

his 

■    Hjer.62.  Opera,  Vol.  i,  p.  514. 


56       THE  HISTORY  OF  THE    Per.  T. 


his  opinion,,  is  a  letter  of  Dicnyfius  of  Alexandria, 
addreffed  to  Xiftus  bifhop  of  Rome,  Ammon  bifh- 
op  of  Berenice,  and  four  books  addreffed  to  Diony- 
fius  another  bifhop  of  Rome.* 

It  is  perhaps  no  lefs  remarkable  that,  notwith- 
flanding  the  blafphemous  opinions,  as  they  arc 
commonly  called,  of  which  the  Trinitarians  accufed 
Sabellius,  no  immorality  appears  to  have  been  laid 
to  his  charge.  It  may  therefore  be  fafely  inferred 
that  his  moral  character  and  conduct  were  unex- 
ceptionable. And  fince  no  public  cenfure  was 
palled  upon  him,  it  may  alfo  be  inferred,  either  that 
his  opinions  were  not  considered  as  very  obnoxious, 
or  that  his  friends  were  fo  many,  that  his  enemies 
had  no  profpecl  of  fucccfs  in  any  roeafures  that 
they  might  take  again!!  him. 

Paul,  a  native  of  Samofata,  was  bifhop  of  An- 
ticch,  twelve  or  thirteen  years,  in  the  time  of  the 
celebrated  Zenobia,  with  whem  he  was  a  great  fa- 
vourite. Making  allowance  for  prejudice  and  ex- 
rggcration,  Dr.  Lardner  thinks  that,  from  what  Eu- 
febius  and  others  have  faid  of  himf,  we  n  ay  diaw 
the  following  chamSer.  "  He  had  a  great  mind, 
"  with  a  mixture  of  haughtinefs,  ar.d  too  much 
"  afTt&ion  for  human  applaufe.  Me  was  gcneial- 
f«  \y  well  refpecled  in  his  diocefe,  and  by  the 
"  neighboring  Liihcps  ;  in  efkem  with  the  great, 

■'•  ?.nd 

*  Eufeb.  Hift.  Lib.  vis,  Cap.  26,  p.  $5$. 
+  Ibid,  Lib.  vii,  Cap.  27,  p.  257,  &c. 


Sec,  V.  CHRISTIAN  CHURCH.       3;; 

t:  and  beloved  by  the  common  people.  He  preach- 
"  ed  fnqueuly,  and  was  a  good  fpeaker  ;  and 
•  frcm  Hrhat  is  fatci  by  the  Fathers  of  the  council 
11  of  hi?  rejecting  and  la)  ing  afide  fome  h)  mns  as 
"  modem  a  id  compofed  by  moderns,  it  may  be 
"  a-gued  that  he  was  a  critic*. 

It  appears  that  Paul  h-'d  a  difference  with  h;s 
ptttbytet  Malchion,  who  procured  acouncii  to  be 
farfimotied,  which,  according  to  Athanafms,  was 
led  by  one  hundred  and  fevenry,  or  one  hun* 
dred  and  eighty  bifliops,  but  according  to  Eufebi- 
lil  ub  lit  fix  hundred,  a.  d.  264.  At  this  fynod 
Firmilian  vas  prcfcnt,  but  Dionyfius  of  Alexan- 
dria, not  being  able  to  attend,  lent  a  letter.  In 
this  f1,  noi  Paul  a  as  only  admo..  ihc  J  and  not  con* 
demned.  But  in  another  fyridd,  or  council,  at 
Which  Eufebius  faysf,  innumerable  bifheps  were 
prefent,  but  not  Firmilian,  or  Gregory  of  Neocae- 
fa  i3  hk  was  excommunicated,  ana  ciepofed.  The 
between  Paul  and  Malchion,  who  had  pre- 
fidtJ  in  a  fchool  of  rhetoric  at  Antioch,  was  made 
public.  Malchion  alio  drew  up  the  fynodieal  let- 
ter in  the  name  of  the  Fatheis  of  this  council,  which 
is  prefcrved  in  Eufebius.J  It  is  evidently  dictat- 
ed by  the  flrorgeft  prejudice  and  malice.  Had 
half  the  viilanies  and  immoralities  that  Paul  is  th 

ch. 

*  Works,  Vol.  iii.  p.  94, 
Hift.  Lib.  vi.   Cap.  28.  p.  S5S. 

J  Ibid.  Lib.  vii.  Cap,  30.  p,  359. 


s58       THE  HISTORY  OF    THE  Per.    V. 

charged  with  been  true,  it  cannot  be  fuppofed  thafc 
fuch  men  as  Firmilian,  Gregory,  and  thole  who  at- 
tended at  the  firft  council,  would  have  hefitated  to 
clepofe  him. 

Not  -ding  this  depoGtion  by   a  council 

ofbiihops,  Paul  could  not  be    removed  from  the 
eoifcopai  houfe  (which,  however,  it  is   evident  he 
]  not  have  occupies  :■:  the  good  will   01 

the  people,  who.  it  mud  be  al     •e  a 

proper  right  tade]  )   till    the   authority  of 

the  emperor  Aurdian,  who  was  the  cner  Ze- 

nobia,  was  called  in*  What  became  of  Paul  af- 
terwards is  not  faid  ;  but  from  him  the  unitarians 
were  generally  called  Pauliqm  till  the  council,  of 
Nice. 

Paul  was  a  writer,  but  we  have  no  particular 
account  of  his  works  ;  and  he  not  only  held  the 
the  do&nneof  the  liumanity  cf  Chrift,  but  proba- 
blv  denied  the  miraculous  conception  ;  as  he  faid 
that  :-  lie  acknowledged  in  Chiifl  the  powerful 
•s  word  horn  heaven,  by  predetermination  before 
"  all  ages,  but  lhat.ir  was  r  :1  at  Nazareth," 

which  he  probably  conhdered  as  the  place  of  his 
birth*.  It  is  alfo  probable  that  the  followeis  of 
Paul  did  r  ize  in  the    name  of  the   Father, 

l -.]  ;   |  ;hol  it  was  decreed  by 

:ounci]  oi  Slice,  tha  I  the 

catholic 
lai  ;.      -        Jefu  Chrifti,  Opera,  \ 

i,  p.       I     ■      ■ 


Sic.  V.      CHRISTIAN    CHURCH. 

catholic  church,  they  fh  >uld  be  rtibaptiged  ;  which 
th  .  ertb  )dox  of  that  age  ntvef  did,  M  thi  baptifru 
ha^l  been  in  thai  form,  by  whom  it  had  b< 

stdmmiftert  d 

[t  is  "■>    who  c  >  i- 

demnedthc  ei  •>  ol  Paul  i  — ; i : i::m cd  that  the  fou 
wasnouon/i  .')^rcfi!ie fame  nature 

with  the  Fal  of  what 

was  defin-d  to  be  orthodoxy  at  thecrunc-l  of  I 
Bat  it  may  be  accounted  for  in  ti  e  foil  aii- 

ner-      The  mo  e  philoi  I  id   that 

the  divinity    which  was   in  Chi  >   that  of  the 

Father,  and    therefore  of  th<  re  with 

him.     But  it  had     i  weLavei    n 

with  the  fi.ft  Trinitarians,  to  fjbeak  ot  Chrift 
(though  they  gave  fa  Gorf)  as 

greally  irrerior  to  the  Father;  and  in  exprefling 
this  the\   b  .0  ;tot   fcrupled  to  I  1  he  was  of  a 

different  nature  (ov<ripc)  !rom  \h  .  \  This  they 

did  the  more    efK  i(h    between 

the  perfons  of  the  Father  and  Son,  which  they  com- 
monly charged  the  Sabellians  with  confounding. 
But  afterwards,  when  the  Arians  arofe,  and  main- 
tained that  Chrift  was  no:  only  lienor  to  the  Fa- 
ther,  but  a  creature,  made  out  of  nothing,  they 
who  had  held  that  the  divine  princij  le  in  Chrift 
was  the  logos,  orwildom  of  the  Father,  perfonified, 
Ghanged  their  language,  and  adopted  another, 
moie  agreeable   to    their  principles  ;   faying  that 

Chrift 


HE   HISTORY  OF  THE  Per,     V. 

Chrift  was  not  of  a  afferent  nature  from  the  Fa- 
ther, but  of  the  very  fame  fab  fiance,  or  Cenfuhftantial 
with  him ;  as  indeed  he  neciiTaniy  muft  h  ~"t  been; 
if  his  divinity  had  ever  been  a  proper  art. -ibu'c  of 
the  Father, 

Though  Paul  was  depofsd,  partly  for  bis  opi- 
nions, and  partly  for  his  pride,  and  the  other  vices 
which  were  laid  to  his  charge  (but  which  do  not 
appear  to  have  been  proved)  none  o!  his  clergy,  or 
of  the  laity,  are  faid  to  have  been  excommunicated 
along  with  him  ;  and  yet  as  he  is  allowed  to  have 
been  very  popular  in  his  fee,  many  of  them  muft, 
no  doubt,  have  thought  as  he  did,  as  alio  mufl  the 
bifhops  and  prefbyters  of  other  churches  who  were 
his  admirers.  It  is  thought  by  fome  that  Lucian 
of  Antioch  put  himfelf  at  the  head  of  Paul's  fol- 
lowers, who  of  their  own  accord  formed  a  feparate 
fociety  ;  though  fome  confidered  him  as  having 
entertained  opinions  much  the  fame  as  thofe  of 
Arius. 


SEC- 


S*c.  VI.       CHRISTIAN  CHURCH.       361 


SECTION    VI. 

Of  the  Controversy   concerning  the  Reign  of  Chri[l 
upon  Earth. 


D 


IONYSIUS  of  Alexandria,  who  dif- 
tinguifhed  himfelf  in  every  thing  in  which  chrifti- 
anity  was  concerned,  held  a  public  difputation 
within  this  period  with  fome  who  maintained  that 
the  reign  of  Chrift  would  be  upon  earth,  and  who 
were  likewife  charged  with  faying  that  under  him 
chriftians  would  enjoy  carnal  delights.  Nepos,  a 
bifhop  in  Egypt,  had  written  a  bock  in  defence  of 
this  opinion,  and  it  was  anfwefed  by  DionyfiuS, 
who.  with  a  candour  that  docs  him  the  greatefl  ho- 
nour, fpeaks  in  the  higheft  terms  of  the  genius  and 
piety  of  Nepos,  who  was  then  dead,  efpecially  on 
account  of  the  many  hymns  which  he  had  compo- 
fed,  and  which  were  very  much  valued  by  chrifti- 
ans.  Many  whole  churches  of  Egypt  adopted 
the  opinion  of  Nepos,  and  with  them  it  was  that 
Diony&us  held  this  public  difputation,  or  rather 
friendly  conference,  which  continued  three  wl 
Vol.  I.  X  k  days 


362         THE  HISTORY  OF  THE     Per.  V. 

days  from  morning  till  evening.  Dionyfius,  in  his 
account  of  this  conference,  greatly  praifes  the  can- 
dour of  thefe  Millenarians,  as  they  were  ufually 
called,  and  fays  that  at  the  opening  of  the  confer- 
ence both  he  and  they  expreffed  the  greateil  rea- 
dinefs  to  relinquifh  their  opinions,  if  after  the  dif- 
cuffion  of  them  they  mould  appear  not  to  be  well 
founded.  The  iffue  was  that  Coracio,  who  was 
then  at  the  head  of  thefe  people,  proftffed  himfelf 
convinced  of  his  error,  and  openly  declared  that 
he  would  teach  it  no  more  ;  fo  that  this  confer- 
ence ended,  as  very  few  have  done,  to  the  fatisfac- 
tion  oi  both  parties.* 

That  the  reign  of  Chrilt,  whatever  be  its  na- 
ture, will  be  on  this  earth,  feems  to  be  evident/roro 
what  was  faid  by  the  angels  at  the  time  of  his  af- 
cenfion,  viz.  that  he  would  return  from  heaven  in 
the  fame  manner  as  they  then  faw  him  go  up  thi- 
ther. And  as  we  are  not  informed  that  any  change 
will  be  made  in  our  future  bodies  beiides  what  re- 
lates to  the  difference  of  lex,  it  does  not  appear 
but  that  they  are  to  be  iupported  by  food.  Our 
Saviour  hirnieli  feems  to  have  thought  fo,  when, 
in  taking  leave  of  his  difciples,  he  told  them  that  lie 
fhouid  no  more  tafie  the  fruit  of  the  vine,  till  he 
mould  drink  it  new  with  them  in  the  kingdom  of 
heaven.     The  opinion  of  Nepos  is  well  known  to 

hate 
*  Lufeb.  Hid.  Lib.  vii,  Cap  2l<,  p.  349. 


Sec.  VI.     CHRISTIAN  CHURCH.         363 

have  been  held  by  Papias,  and  he  always  maintain- 
ed that  he  had  it  from  the  apoftles. 

As  to  the  fenfual  delights  which  it  is  faid 
Millenaiians  contended  for,  the  charge  was  proba- 
bly a  calumny.  Neither  Tapias,  nor  this  Nepos, 
wer«  perfons  who  are  faid  to  have  been  at  all  ad- 
dicted to  them  ;  baing  men  of  great  purity  of  r 
ners,  as  well  as  piety.  And  it  may  eafily  be  fap- 
pofed  that  the  idea  which  took  place  very  early, 
and  extended  itfelf  very  faft,  of  the  natural  impu- 
rity of  every  thing  corporeal,  led  the  generality  of 
ghriftians  to  put  a  fpiritual  fenfe  upon  every  ex- 
preflion  by  which  the  happinefs  of  a  future  ftate  is 
denoted.  According  to  fome,  our  pleafures  are  to 
be  Co  much  of  an  intellectual  nature,  that  it  can- 
not be  conceived  how  our  corporeal  ienfes,  even 
thofe  or  feeing  and  hearing,  mould  be  of  any  ufe 
to  u$. 


SEC 


3(54      THE  HISTORY  OF  THE     Per.  Y. 


SECTION     VII. 

Of  the  Writers  zvitlun  this  Period. 


HE  writers  within  this  period,  con- 
fide ring  the  length  of  it,  and  the  proportion  of 
peace  I  hat  was  in  it,  are  not  many,  and  of  their 
works  feveral  were  fuggefied  by  the  perfection, 
and  the  confequences  of  it.  Several  of  them  were 
of  the  Alexandrian  fchool,  from  which  the  litera- 
ture and  the  platonizing  theology  ofchriflians  was 
for  feveral  ages  derived. 

The  principal  of  them  is  Cyprian,  of  whofe 
conduct  and  martyrdom  an  account  has  aheady 
been  given.  He  wrote  many  letters  relating  to  the 
occurrences  of  his  times,  especially  on  the  fubject 
of  mart}  rdom,  the  baptifm  of  heretics,  the  recepti- 
on of  the  lapfed,  £:c.  and  feme  fhort  treatifes,  viz. 
on  the  vanity  of  idols ;  againfl  the  heathen  religion, 
!T^rwc^^5}conii{lingof  acoiieclicn  of  texts  of  fcrip- 
ture  on  deferent  fubje&s,  chiefly  from  the  Old 
Teilament  ;  on  difcipline;  en  theconducl  and  ap- 
parel c,  virgins  ;  on  mercy  and  alms  giving  ;  on 
patience  ;  on  envy  ;  concerning  thofe  who  had  a- 

poilaiizcd  j 


Stfc.  VII.      CHRISTIAN  CHURCH.      365 

poftatized;  and  of  the  unity  of  the  church,  writ- 
ten  on  occ^fion  of  the  fcliifm  of  Novatus,  and  the 
faclion  of  Feliciffimus;  who  granted  the  peace  of 
the  church  too  readily  to  thofe  who  had  fa] 
Laftly,  his  treatife  addreffed  to  Deractrianul  is  an 
anfwer  to  thofe  who  accufed  the  chiiftians  ct  bc« 
in<*  the  eaufe  of  all  the  calamities  of  the  (late.  Cy- 
prian  had  been  a  teacher  of  rhetoric  before  lie  was 
a  chriftian  ;  and  it  is  obferved  that  he  is  one  of  the 
firftof  the  chriftian  writers  who  have  been  admired 
for  their  eloquence. 

Pontius,  a  deacon  of   Cyprian's  wrote  an   ac- 
count of  his  life  and  death*. 

Cotemporary  with  Cyprian,  was  Com  mc 
nus,  another  Latin  author,  of  whom  an  account  is 
given  by  Gennadius,  who  wrote  near  the  end  of 
the  fifth  century.  His  treatife  againji  the  Pagans, 
or  more  properly  inflruBions  to  perfons  of  every 
defcription  in  a  loofe  kind  of  verie  is  (till  extant. 

Novatus,  the  author  of  the  fchifm  that  has  been 
mentioned,  compofed  the  firft  treatife  that  was  cx- 
prefsly  written  on  the  fubjeS  of  the  trinity,  in 
which  he  explains  with  great  clearnefs  the  general. 
ly  received  dodtrine  concerning  the  perfon  of 
Chrift  before  the  csuncil  of  Nee;  roaintaii 
that  he  was  the  lo  n  of  the  Father,  but 

neverthelefs  greatl] erior    to  him.     He  is 

*  Jerom,  Cap.  79. 


c66       THE  HISTORY  OF  THE    Per.  Vj 

fuppofed  to  be  the  author  of  a  treatife  on    Jewifh 
ts;  of  another  on  Eafter,  and  of  circumcifiony 
as  well  as  of  iome  I  rally    one  from  the 

clergy  of  Rome  to   Cyprian.     Both  Novatus  and 
Cyprian  wrote  in  Latin. 

as  bifhop  of  Rome,  wrote  feveral  epif- 
tles  fubjedt  of  his    difference   with 

.at  none  of  them  are  now  extant*. 
Gregory,  L  I  Neccaefarea,  the  difcipleof 

Dri  di fcourfe  in  his  praife,  a  p 

j  afe  on  Eeclefiailes,  and  a  canonical  epifrle,  di- 
reel  d  to  abil'h  ;:p,  about  the  penance  to  be  exact- 
ed of  who  returned  to  the  church,  after  hav- 
heen  guilty  of  various  crimes,  during  the  in- 
on  of  the. barbarians  into  Afia>  in  the  reign  of 
Gallienus.  There  are  other  works  falfely  attribut- 
ed  to  him. 

Dionyfius  of  Alexandria  was  the  mod  diflin- 

guifhed    writer,    as    well   as  acior,   of  the  age  in 

h  he  lived.      He  alio  had  been  the  diiciple  of 

Origen.     Some  ot  his  works  have  been  mentioned 

in  the  courfe  oi  this  hiftory;  but  nothing  of  his  is 

.  extant,  except  fome  fragments   preferved    m 

ebius.      He  wrote  what    were   called  pafchal 

letters,  rcl  time  of  celebrating  Eafler, 

ht  to  be  before  the   vernal  equi- 

:5  or  cycle,  of  eight 

itlians  with  refpeel 

to 


Sic.  VII.     CHRISTIAN    CHURC  367 

to  it*.      E  lfebius  alfo  quotes  a  [zc>>    \  b  >ok  of  his 
ceraing   promifefc,   meaning  probably   the    re- 
wards of  virtue  in  a  future  (lite  againft  the  Mille- 

nariansf. 

Dioayfius  fr>e,iks  of  his  havin  5  had  two  revela- 
tions, one  d  hi  n  to  withdi.  per- 
fecution  in  the  time  of  DeciusJ,  and  the  other   to 
encourage  him  to  read  the   works   of   heretics,  by 
which  he  evidently  meant  thoi  s,  as 
he   {'peaks   of    their  traditions  (it.-              )  and  of 
defilincT  his   mind   with  their  execrable   c 
(:.-- '-.:::;    cevjnv  ^S               ' )     But  as  he  men- 
tions no  circumftances   of    thofe    revelations,   the 
]  ttet   of   which  he                            it  is  ira 
for  us  to  determine  1                     y  were  real 
With  refpecl  to  the  foi  1 

that  he  told  no  untruth,  and  therefore  ran  be 

no  doubt  I:  if  this    e:  i      im« 

pofed  upon  by  Lis    own    h  was  far 

from  intending  to  .  3.      As  God 

has  vouch fafed  re  tr  nature   to 

other  perfons,  he,  no  d  ?ne   it  in 

his  cafe  ;  but  the  fa  els  1  :ient   e- 

:nce. 

In 

•Eufeb.  Hill.  Lib.  vii,  Cap.  20,'p.   tt    . 

t  Ibid.  Lib. 

%  Ibid.  Lib.  vi,  Cap.  40,  |  i 

§  Ibid,  Lib.  vii.  Cap.  7.  p.  S2 


368       THE  HISTORY  OF  THE     Per.  V, 

In  this  period  Anatolius  of  Alexandria,  but 
bifhop  of  Laodicea,  diftinguifhed  himfelf  by  his 
genius  and  his  writings,  excelling  in  his  know- 
ledge of  arithmetic,  geometry,  aftronomy,  logic, 
phiiofophy.  and  rhetoric.  Pie  wrote  a  treatife 
concerning  Eafter,  a  part  of  which  is  extant 
in  Latin,  Eufebius  gives  a  large  account  of  this 
Anatolius,  of  the  great  efteem  in  which  he  was 
held  at  Alexandria,  and  efpeciaily  of  his  fervices 
at  the  time  of  a  liege*. 

Theognoflus  of  Alexandria,  quoted  by  Atha- 
naiius  and  ethers,  but  not  mentioned  by  Eufebi- 
us appears  to  have  been  a  confiderable  writer,  and 
author  of  a  treatife,  entitled,  Injlitutions,  which  was 
not  altogether  approved  by  thofe  who  claimed  the 
title  oi  orthodox  in  a  later  period,  as  he  called  the 
Son  a  creature, 

Pierius,  a  prefbyter  of  Alexandria,  wrote  with 
fo  much  elegance,  that  Jcrom  fays  he  was  called 
the  younger  Origcn.  He  wrote  a  commentary  on 
Hofea,  and  a  treatife  on  Eafler,  neither  of  them 
now  extant.  Eufebius  {peaks  highly  ol  him,  as 
eminent  for  fublime  phiiofophy f. 

This  period  produced  two  woiks  which  deferve 
to  be  mentioned  for  their  angularity,  and  the  re- 
lation they  bear  to  chriiiianity.  The  Heathen 
philcfophcrs  were,    no  doubt,   much  offended  at 

the 

*  Eufeb.  Kid.  Lib.  vi.  Cap.  32.  p-  506. 
|  Hift.  Lib,  vii,  Cap.  32.  p.  873. 


Sec.  VII.  CHRISTIAN  CHUMCIL         :/0 

the  progrefs  of  the  new  religion  j  and  this  p 
was  evidently  owing  to  the  belief  of  the  miracUi 
of  Chriftand  the  apoflles,  recorded  in  the  Evan- 
gelifts  and  the  A&s  of  the  Apoftles.  To  couti- 
teracl  the  effecd:  of  thefe  wettings,  it  is  highly  pro- 
bable that  we  now  find  the  life  of  Pythagoras  writ- 
ten by  Porphyry,  and  more  largely  by  Jambli- 
chus,  and  alfo  that  of  Apollonius  Tyanaeus  by 
Philoftratus;  and  as  they  abound  with  the  account 
of  miracles,  it  may  be  worth  while  to  mc  ntton  fome 
of  them,  that  the  judicious  reader  may  com  j ire 
them  with  thofe  which  they  Teem  to  have  been  in- 
tended to  rival,  and  difcredit. 

Pythagoras  had  been  dead  almofl   eight   hun- 
dred years  betore  thefe  lives  of  him  were  wiittea  ; 
and  very  little  indeed  had  been    recorded   of  him 
by  any  credible  hiftorian.      In  thefe  circumlLanccs 
thefe  writers  might  colled  vague  traditions,  or  in- 
vent anecdotes,  without  fear  of  being  con ti 
by  any  pofitive  evidence  ;  but  being,  on   the  f 
account,  neceflarily    dilliuue   o»  proper   vouc 
themfelyes,  they  could  not  be  intilleu  to  any  cre- 
dit.     And,  indeed,  the   ftories  are  fuch  as 
dantly  confute  the mfelves,    being  extremely  £ 
not  brought  as  any  pi  i '         •  m  and 

having  no  rational  object  wh  itev  r« 

If  any  credit,  hy  both  Porphyry  and   jarnbli- 
chus  (the  latter  of  whom  feems  to  •  the 

former)  may  be  given  to  many  ancient  a  .id  cxcel- 

Vol.  I.  x  Y  leDt 


g7o        THEHISTORYOFTHE     Psr.  V. 

lent  men,  who  have  written  concerning  Pythago- 
ras, his  phiiofophy  had  in  it  fomething  from  which 
even  brute  animals  might  receive  inftruction.  He 
fo  tamed  a  wild  bear  of  Daunia,  which  had  com- 
mitted great  ravages  in  the  country,  that  he  bound 
it  bv  an  oath  never  to  meddle  with  any  living  crea- 
ture lor  the  future ;  fo  that  ever  afterwards  it  con- 
fined itlelf  to  the  woods,  and  never  injured  any  a- 
nimal,  tame  or  wild.  Seeing  an  ox  at  Tarentum 
eating -green  beans,  he  wkifpered  iomething  in  his 
ear;  and  from  that  time  he  never  tailed  beans  any 
1Tl0re;  2nd  living  long  after  this  near  the  Temple 
of  Juno,  he  was  called  the  ox  of  Pythagoras.  Ex- 
plaining to  his  difciples  at  Oiympia  that  birds  were 

Z&BAgR*  h"on*  God  to  Pious  rnQUf  fce  kr^tgM 
down  an  eagle  which  was    then  flying   over  their 

heads,  and  after  he  had  careffed  him  for  fome 
time,  difnnffed  him  again  ;  by  which,  lay  thefe 
writers,  he  (hewed  that,  like  Orpheus,  he  likewife 
had  power  over  wild  animals*. 

When  Pythagoras  was  travelling  with  a  na- 
tive of  S} -baris,  along  the  ka  fhcre,  to  Croton,  he 
told  tome  fi  n  who  were  dragging  a  net  kill 

of  Sfhcr,  the   e*a&    number  that   it  contained,  oa 
r     reuniting   tkfrt  ihzy  would   do  whatever  he 
direct-  w\        ■    . .  LI  to  them,  it  he  told  them 
right.       Ace  fljfin      •    v    had   counted 

them, 
*  Porphyrias  de  vita  Pythagoraei  c,  24^25,  p.  31* 
Jjjmblichus,  c.  i3,  p.  46. 


Sec.  VII.     CHRISTIAN    CHURCH.       371 

them,  and  found  the  number  to  be  what  he  had 
faid,  he  ordered  them  'o  throw  them  hack  into  the 
fea  alive,  and  it  was  very  remarkable,  lay  thefe  wri- 
ters, thatnotwithdanding  the  time  which  was  em- 
ployed in  counting  fuch  a  number  of  filics  upon 
the  fca  fhorc,  not  one  of  them  died*. 

Pythagoras,  they  alfo  fay,  proved  by  undenia- 
ble evidence  that  he  was  the  fame  perfon  with  Eu- 
phorbus,  the  fon  of  Panthus,  who  was  flain  by 
Menelaus,  at  the  fiege  of  Troy,  after  having  killed 
Patroclus  ;  his  foul  having  transmigrated  from  one 
body  to  anothert. 

Though  thefe  writers  appeal  to  "  many  anci- 
V  ent  and  excellent  men  who  wrote  the  hi  (lor  v  of 
t:  Pythagoras/'  they  do  not  mention  any  of  them  ; 
and  it  is  remarkable  that  Diogenes  Laertius,  who 
wrote  the  life  of  Pathagoras  about  one  hundred 
and  fifty  years  before  thefe  authors,  has  none  of 
thefe  prodigies,  except  the  flory  of  Euphor- 
bus. 

The  miracles  of  Apollonius  Tyanaeus  are  not 
lefs  ridiculous  than  thofe  that  are  related  of  Py- 
thagoras, and  as  deflitute  of  proper  voucjbers.  Phi- 
lollratus,  who  wrote  his  life,  did  it,  as  I 
with  a  view  to  fhew  that  he  was  a  more  cxtraorui- 
nary  man  than  Pj  |  more  divin 

rcrpeft  to  p  .      According  to  him,  Da- 

mis, 
*  Po  ,c.  25,  p.  31,    J...  .  >c.  8,  ] 

T  ibid.  c.  26;  p,  .2.  Ibid.  c.  1  i  p.  48. 


27 


THE  HISTORY  OF   THE     Per.V. 


mis,  the  companion  of  Apollonius,  committed  to 
writing  whatever  he  faid,  or  did,  that  was  remarka- 
ble ;  that  a  friend  cf  this  Damis  (whofe  name  is 
not  mentioned)  committed  thefe  memoirs  to  Julia, 
the  wife  of  the  emperor  Severus  ;  and  fhe  gave 
them  to  Philofliatus,  to  tranferibe  and  reduce  in- 
to better  order.  In  thefe  circum fiances  it  can  hard- 
ly be  fuppofed  but  that  he  would  endeavour  to  ac- 
quit himfelf  in  fucha  manner  as  to  pleafe  this  em- 
prefs,  and  her  fon  Caracaila,  by  detracting  from 
chtiftiairiity,  to  which  they  both  had  a  vtry  great 
averficn.  He  alfo  fays  that  he  was  affifled  by  the 
books  of  Maximits  cf  ^gas,  which  contained  an 
account  of  what  Apollonius  did  in  that  place. 
Four  books  oi  the  life  of  Apollonius  were  likewife 
written  by  Meragenes  ;  but  they  were  fuch  as  our 
author  could  not  give  credit  to.  Let  us  new- 
Tee  whether  his  own  accounts  be  at  all  more  cre- 
dible. 

According  to  Philoflratus,  Proteus  appeared 
to  the  mother  of  Apollonius  b§fore  he  was  born, 
and  told  her  that  fhe  would  be  delivered  of  himfelf 
She,  net  at  all  terrified  at  the  apparition,  afked 
him  who  he  wns  •  to  which  he  replied,  an  Egypti- 
an god.  But  Apollonius',  he  adds,  proved  himfelf 
to  be  much  fuperior  to  Proteus  in  Lis  knowledge 
of  future  t\  ents ;  for  (hat^his  predictions  were  much 
more  numerous  thr-.n  thofe  of  Proteus,  and  that 
he  Lever  failed  in   his  interpretation  of  mj  flerious 

things, 


&&  VII.      CHRISTIAN  CHURCH.      373 

things*.  Before  her  delivery  fhe  irks  directed  by 
a  dream  to  go  and  gather  flowers  in  a  certain  mea- 
dow. There  fhe  fell  afleep,  and  was  Surrounded 
by  fwans,  who  difpofing  themfelves  in  the  form  of 
a  chorus,  fet  up  a  great  cry,  which  awaked  her, 
and  immediately  after  this  ihe  was  delivered.  At 
the  fame  time  lightning  defcended  from  hca\ 
but  presently  aicended  again  into  the  higher  re- 
gions of  the  atmofphere  ;  fignifying,  as  our  author 
fays,  that  this  child  would  rife  above  the  earth,  £L  J 
have  his  habitation  near  the  gods. 

Such  was  the  birth  of  Apollonius,  at  Tyana 
in  Cappadocia,  of  which  place  our  author  relates 
feveral  extraordinary  things.  He  more  particular- 
ly mentions  a  fountain,  the  waters  of  which  could 
not  be  drank  with  fafety  by  any  perjured  perfonf. 
While  Apollonius  was  a  boy,  an  AfTyrian  youth, 
who  had  brought  himfelf  into  a  dangerous  difeafe 
by  his  debauchery,  was  directed  by  the  god  >Efcu- 
lapius  to  apply  to  him,  who  by  advifiiig  ten 
ance,  rcflored  him  to  health^.  Such  is  the  intro- 
duction to  the  life  of  Apollonius,  and  the  whole 
work  is  of  a  piece  with  it. 

I  need  not  fay  how   little  credit  is  due  to   fuch 
ridiculous  (lories  as  .   which  are   as  defti 

of  any  proper  evidem    ,  as  thofe  in   Ovid's  Meta- 

morphofis. 

*  Lib.  1.  cap.  3,  p.  5. 
1  C.  4,  p.  6. 
J  Cap.  C:  p.  10. 


274      THE  HISTORY  OF  THE    Pek.  V. 

morphoGs.  It  is  not,  indeed,  probable  that  they 
were  believed  by  the  writers  themfelves,  or  any  of 
their  readers.  Ho\v  unneceiTary  is  it  then  to  draw 
a  Companion  between  them  and  the  miracles  of 
Tefus  and  the  apoftles,  the  accounts  of  which  were 
written  while  numberlefs  w^meHes  of  them  were 
living,  and  which  were  fo  well  atteiled,  that  both 
before  and  after  the  publication  of  thofe  books, 
thoufands  abandoned  every  thing  that  they  had  in 
the  world,  and  many  of  them  chearfully  laid  down 
iheir  lives,  for  their  faith  in  them  ;  and  yet  it  can- 
rot  belaid  that  any  oi  thele  perfons  had  been  pre- 
viouily  difpofed  to  admit  the  truth  of  the  facls. 


PERIOD. 


Per.  VI.     CHRISTIAN  CHURCH.       373 


P  E  R  I  O  D    VI, 


Or    TUB     PERSECUTION     UNDER    DIOCLETIAN, 
A.    D-  302,  AND  E  S  E  T  T  L  E  M  E  N  T    0  P    THE 

EMPIRE    UNDER    CON  ST  A  NTINEy  A.  D.   3I3, 


HIS  is  the  fhorteft  period  into  v/Iiich 
I  have  hitherto  divided  this  hifiory,  but  it  is  by 
far  the  mod  crowded  with  events,  and  thefc  of  the 
greateft  confequence,  and  it  terminated  in  the  com- 
plete e(lablilhment  of  a  ftate  of  things,  the  like  of 
which  had  never  been  known  before  ;  in  one  rcf* 
peel  highly  favourable  to  chriftianity,  I  mean  in 
the  general  acknowledgment  of  its  j  high- 

ly unfavourable  with  regard  to  its  effecls  on  the 
hearts  and  lives  of  men.  This  period  alio  termi- 
nated in  the  union  of  chriftianity  with  a  power  I 
molt  heterogeneous  to  its  nature,  by  which  it  be- 
came the  reverie  of  what  ithadbedri  hitherto,  v  z. 
a  kingdom  of  this  world,  arming  '  th'iti  cow- 
ers and  terrors,  ai  '  b  '  ,  exerfcitirrg  that  tem- 
poral power  wit  cruelty  t  a  purer 
ipecies  or  chriftianity,  as  it  had  ever  be<  n  employed 
againft  chriftianity  itfelf. 

Previous 


276     THE  HISTORY  OF  THE    Per,  VI. 

Previous  to  this  lad  druggie  between  chriftia- 
nity  and  heathenifm,  the  chriftian  church  had, 
with  little  interruption,  enjoyed  more  than  half  a 
century  of  reft  and  peace,  in  which  it  had  enlarged 
its  boundaries,  and  acquired  a  degree  of  external 
fplendour  unknown  in  any  former  period*.  Se- 
veral of  the  emperors  had  been  well  difpofed  to- 
wards it,  and  though  they  did  not  embrace  chrifti- 
an iy  themfelves  they  made  no  fcruple  of  employ- 
ing chriftians  in  the  moft  important  departments  of 
government,  both  civil  and  military  ;  and  Lad  ex- 
cufed  them  from  the  performance  of  any  a£h  which 
had  formerly  been  indifpenfable  in  the  execution 
of  their  offices,  if  they  obje£ed  to  them  as  incon- 
fiftent  with  their  pi ofeffion  of  chriftianity. 

Several  of  the  emperors  had  indulged  their 
chriftian  officers  and  their  families  with  the  moft 
public  exercife  of  their  religion,  and  among  thefe 
Eufcbius  particularly    mentions    Dorotheus   and 

Gorgonius, 
'  *  Arnobius  fpeaks  of  the  knowledge  of  chriftiamty 
having  reached  the  Seres  or  Chinefe,  as  well  as  the  Per- 
fiatfe  and  the  Medes.  Lib.  ii.  p.  SO.  Mr.  D.  Guign.es 
has  endeavoured  to  prove  that  one  of  the  Chinefe  em- 
perors, having  heard  of  it  by  the  people,  cf  India  trad- 
ing to  China,  lent  perfons  into  the  Weft  to  collect  a 
more  authentic  account  of  it,  a.  d.  65,  but  that,  not  mak- 
ing fufficient  diftincYion,  they  brought  back  the  religion 
of  Fo,  which  had  its  origin  about  that  time.  Histo'tre 
des  Hum.  Vol.  i.  p.  CO.  But  I  do  net  lay  much  Href* 
on  thisac  count. 


PM.VJ.    CHRISTIAN  ClWllCH.         37J 

Gorgonius,  who,  with  many  others,  were  adv 
cd  to  the  highefl  magi Trades,  and  the  gov- 
of  provinces.     Many  heathen  governors  alfo  (fa 
cd  great  refpect  to  chriftian  bifhops,    and 
ted  them  to  ereft  new  and  inure   fpactous   edifices 
for  their  public  aflemblies,  as  the  demand  f^r  them 
kept  incrni  ig,  and  Uie  rites  of  the  heathen  rrligi- 
on  became  more  neglected  and  difufed.      We  may 
therefore  conclude,   that  at  this  time  a   \\ 
proportion  of   the  peop:'e,   in  all  the   provinces  of 
the  empire   <    ^ecially  in  the  £ift3  n  n  pro- 

feflion  of  cl  ity. 

Bnt   this  t-  rofperity  had  produced,  as 

before,  mar--     h  ,  ffecls. 

The  chYiftian  bilhops  and  people,  having  no  fore 
enemies,  were  divided  among  themfelves  ;  and  the 
affectionate  love  and   fymp  hich    had  been 

cherifhed  by  common  difficulties,  had  given  place 
to  jsaloufy,  envy,  and  hatred  ;   which,  as   luifebi- 
us    expreffes    it,    led   them  to  fight  with  words, 
as    with    fwords    and    fpears.*       Alfo,     a  fpirit 
of  indifference  with  refpec~i  to  religion  in  general, 
and  an  attachment  to  the  world  and  the   things  of 
it,  the  fruitful  parent  of  all  vices,  infected   chrifli- 
ans  as  well  as  other  perfons,  when  perfecution  had 
ccafed  to  keep  up  their  zeal,  and  to  compel  them, 
as  it  were,  to  loo':  from  earth  to  heaven. 

At  length,  however,  it  pleafed  Divine  Provi- 
Vol.  I.  Z  z  deace 

*  Eufeb,  Kid.  Lib.  viii,  Cap,  i,  p;  3T5» 


878         THE  HISTORY  OF  THE    Per.  VI. 

dence  to  roufe  the  chriffiatt  church  from  this  flat* 
of  indifference  and  worldly  mindedneG,  by  the 
mod  fevere,  and  the  longefl  continued  perfecti- 
on to  which  it  had  ever  been  expofed.  And  by 
this  ft  appeared,  that  notwithftanding  the  difeafes 
which  it  had  contracted  in  a  ftate  of  indolence,  its 
Jtamina  were  good  ;  for  it  not  only  furvived,  but 
was  improved  by  the  trial.  The  return  of  perfe- 
ction revived  the  ancient  fpirit  ot  chriflians,  and 
no  more  account:  was  made  by  them  of  torture  and 
death,  than  on  any  former  fimilar  occafion. 

This  perfecution  is  ufually  afcribed  to  Diocle- 
tian, but  it  was  more  properly  a  meafure  of  Gale- 
rius  Maximian,  his  fon-in  law,  andone  of  the  Cae- 
fars ;  and  it  is  faid  that,  for  fome  time,  Diocletian 
remonftrated  againft  the  propofal,  on   account  of 
the  miferies  that  he  forefaw  it  would  produce.  For 
though  he  was  fuper£itious,  and  a  friend  to  the 
ancient  religion  (which  was  fuppofed  to  be  connect- 
ed with  the  welfare  and  glory  of  the  empire,  which 
he  had  much  at  heart)  he  was  not  naturally  cruel. 
Moreover,  the  perfecution  did  not  begin,  at  Is-afl 
it  was  not  carried  on  with    any  violence,    till    the 
nineteenth  year  of  his  reign,  a  few  years   before  he 
refigned  the  government  intirely,  and  it  continued 
feven  years,  after   he  had  nothing  to  do  with    the 
admmiflration,  and  when  it  does  not  appear,  that 

he  interefled  himfelf  at  all  in  it. 

It 


PfiR.VI.   CHRISTIAN  CHURCH.         379 

It  appears,  however,  that  Diocletian,  in  conjunc- 
tion with  his  colleague,  Maximian  Herculius, 
fliewn   him  fell  unfavourable   to    the  chriftians,  on 
fome  occafions  before  'he  breaking  out  of  the  great 

peiiecution  which  b.ars  his  name.*  It  is  i 
that  at  the  meeting  o(  the  two  emperors  at  Milan, 
which  was  (he  year  before  the  adoption  of  the  two 
v  i  jfars,  and  the  iixth  of  the  reign  of  Diocletian, 
they  concerted  fome  meafures  that  were  hoflile  to 
chriftianity  ;t  and  when  ten  years  of  the  joint 
reign  of  Diocletian  and  Maximian  were  expired, 
folemn  games,  in  honour  of  the  heathen  gods  were 
celebrated,  with  facrifices,  through  all  the  provin- 
ces, by  Diocletian  at  Nicomedia,  and  by  Maxi- 
mian at  Rome,  which  fhews  their  attachment  to 
their  anc;ent  rites. 

*  Epiphanius,  H.  66.  Opera,  Vol.  i. 
-\  De  Mortibus  Perfecutorum,  Cap,  8, 


SEC 


%%0     THE  HISTORY  OF  THE  Per.  VU 


SECTION     I. 

Of  the  Progrefs  of  the  Perfecution*  in  general. 

17 

^USEBIUS  obferves,  that  the  perfecu- 
tiofl  began  in  the  army,  before  the  publication  of 
the  edicls  which  made  it  genera!  ;  the  officers 
being  obliged  to  refign  their  commands,  if  they 
would  not  facrifice  to  the  heathen  gods.  Many, 
however,  not  only  refigned  their  rank  in  the  army 
upon  this  occafion,  but  fuffered  death  ;  till  one 
of  their  commanders  was  deterred  from  proceeding 
any  farther,  by  the  prodigious  numbers  who  of- 
fered themfelves  to  him,  as  ready  to  die  when  they 
were  thus  called  upon*. 

In  the  fourteenth  year  of  Diocletian  and  Max- 
imian,  they  made  a  magnificent  triumph  together 
at  Rome,  for  V.  1  fuccefs  in   re  edablifhing 

the  affairs  of  the  empire,  and  from  this  time  Dio- 
cletian affecled  to  be  oiled  Jovius,  and  Maxixnian 
Herculius,  and  their  price  and  arrogance  was  from 
this  time  vifibly  encieafed.  But  it  was  not  till 
the  nineteenth  year  of  Diocletian,  when  the  em- 
perors 

f  Eufeb.  Hid-  Lib.viii.  Cap. 4.  p.  380. 


Sec.  I.         CHRISTIAN  CHURCH.      381 

perors  were  eftabhfh.-d  in  full  power,  w\ 
pire  had    no    rebellion    within  nor  an)'  war 

wi:h  its  neighbours,  tha  formed   the 

defign  of  extirpating  the  chriflian  religion  ;  ima- 
gining, it  may  be  prefumed,  that  till  this  was  done, 
the  profperity  of  the  ftatc  could  not  be  faid  to  be 
ftablc,  the  fafety   and  graadeur  of  the  <  be* 

ing  fuppofed   to  depend   upon  the  obfervanci 
thofe  rites,  to  which  the  Romans  had  been  addict- 
ed when  the  empire  was  eftablii0 

It  was  this  idea  that   mifled    Trajan,    Marcus 
Antoninus,  and  oilier  emperors,  befi  re  Diocletian; 
and  their  failure  of  iuccefs  in  exterminating  chrifti- 
anity  did  not  deter  thefe  two  from  making  the  at- 
tempt ;   imagining,  no  doubt,    that  not  with  land- 
ing the  great  increafe  ofchriftians,   they  were 
felled  of  advantages   fufficient    to  counterbalance 
that  circumftatice;  and  feeing  that   if  the  evil,  as 
they  thought  it,  Was  fufTered  to  proceed  much  far- 
ther, it  would  be  too  late  to  attempt  the 
of  it.   It  is  alio  faid,  in  Eufebiu 
tint*,  tnat  Apollo  was  reported  to  have  complain- 
ed out  of  a  cavern,  that  his  oracles   were  filent,  or 
uncertain,  on  account  of  fome 
on  this  accoant  the    .  ppofing   that  by 

jujl  me::  Hood  the  cfa  s  in- 

cited to  be  in  the  perfecution. 

Eufeb,  Hift.  Lib.  ii.  Cap. 50,  51.  p.  561. 


382        THE  HISTORY  OF  THE     Per.  V. 

By  the  firft  edicl,  which  was  publifhed  juft  be- 
fore Eafler,  a.  d,  303,  at    Nicomedia,  where  Dio- 
cletian and    Galerius  then  were,   it  was  ordered, 
that  all   chriftian    churches  fhould  b«  demohihed 
to  their  foundations,  that    the  facred  books  of  the 
chriftian  s  fhould  be  burned,    that  thofe  chriflians 
who  enjoyed  any  honours  fhould  be  deprived   of 
them,  and  that  private  perfons  fhould  be  reduced 
to  fervitude,  if  they  did  not  renounce  chriflianit)  *. 
No  fooner  was  this  edict  fet  tip,  than  a  pedon    of 
ccr  fiderable  rank,  and  intemperate  zeal,  pulled   it 
down,  and  tore   it.      Being   immediately    feized, 
and  put  ;o  death  by  torture,  he  expreffed  the  great- 
•mpofure  and  joy  to  his  lafl  breathf . 
Not  long  after  appeared  another  edicl,  by  which 
all  Jre  bifhops,  and  the  other  clergy,  were  ordered 
to  be  committed  to  prifon,  and  compelled  to  facri- 
fice  to  the  heathen  gods  J  ;  and  this    was  followed 
by  a  {bird,  in  which  it  was  ordered,  that  they  who 
refufed  to  facrihee,  fhould  be  expofed  to   tortun§. 
With  refpect  to  the  particulars  of  this  famous 
perlecuiion,  I  fhajl   flriclly   follow  Eufebius,  who 
declarer,  that  he  relates  what  paiTcd  under  his  own 
eyes.     He  himfelf,  he  fays,    was  prefent  when  the 
churches  were  demolifhed,  and  the  books  of  fcrip- 
K  ture 

*  Eufeb.  Lib.  viii.  Cap.  2.  p.  379. 
•;-  Ibid.  Hid.  Lib.  viii.  Cap.  5.  p.  381. 


Sue.  I.         CHRISTIAN    CHURCH.         383 

ture  committed  to  the  flames.      Ii  ifccuti- 

on  fomc  ot  the  clergy  concealed  themfelves,  others 
•were  apprehended,  and  expofed  to  various  infultf, 
many  had  notfortitud  !  to  bear  the  trial,  and  many 
had  rccourfe,  as  in  the  preceediog  perfecuti  ;n,  (o 
various  artifices,  in  order  to  be  thought  to  have 
facrificed  when  they  really  had  not*. 

When  Eufebius  proceeds  to  mention  particu- 
lar cafes,  he  begins  with  thofe  who  fufl       1  in  the 
emperor's  houfhokl,  and  fays,  that  Doro  heus,  and 
other  youths  of  the    bed  chamber,    who  had  been 
particularly  favoured  and  efteemed  by  the   empe- 
rors, preferred  every  fpecies   of   torture  to  the  ho- 
nours with   which   they  had   been  invefted.     To 
enable  us  to  judge  of  what   was    endured  by   the 
reft,  he  fays   that  one   of   them,    whofe  name  was 
Peter,  being  brought  before  the  emperors,  and  re- 
fuGng  to  facrifice,   was   firfl    ftripped    naked,  and 
then  cruelly  fcourged  till  his  bones  were  laid  bare. 
This  having  no  effect,  he  was  wafhed  with 
and   fait,    and    afterwards  gradually    mailed  on  a 
giidiron,  perfifting  in  his  profeflion  of   chi 
to    the  laft.      Dorotheus    and    Gorgonius,    \ 
many   others  who   be! 
enduring  various   I 

Anthimius,  the   bifhop  cf    Nicome  I    , 
headed. 

*  Eufeb.  Cap.  3.  7..:: 


|84     THE  HISTORY  OF  THE  P*r.  VI. 

After  this  th@  palace  being  on  fire,  and  the 
chriflians  being  faid  to  be  the  incendiaries,  all  the 
chriftians  in  the  place  were,  by  the  order  of  the 
emperors,  killed  in  crowds  together  with  their  fa- 
milies ;  fome  by  the  fwcrd,  and  others  by  fire; 
and  upon  this  occafion  many  perfons  of  both  fex- 
es  voluntarily  rufhed  into  the  flames.  Many  were 
thrown  bound  into  the  fea,  and  fome  who  had  been 
interred,  were  taken  out  of  their  graves,  and 
thrown  into  the  fea  alfo. 

This  paired  at  Nicomedia.  at  the  beginning  of 
the  perfecution ;  and  when  the  fame  orders  were 
carried  into    A  ar.d   Syria,   an    incredible 

number  of  perfor-s  were  thrown  into  prifon,  fo 
that  fhofe  places  which  ufedto  be  occupied  by 
murderers,  and  villains  of  every  fpecies,  were 
now  filled  with  bifhops  and  clergy  ;  and  there  was 
no  room  left  for  thofe  who  were  condemned  for 
crimes.  It  is  impoffible,  he  fays,  to  compute  the 
number  of  martyrs  in  ezch  province,  efptcially  in 
Africa  proper,  and  Mauritania,  Thebais,  and  E- 
gypt,  and  many  perfons  flying  from  Egypt  were 
put  to  death  in  other  provinces.* 

Some  of  thefe,    Eufebius  fays,  he  himfelf  faw 

c  fed  to    various   kinds    of   torture,    and  fome 

thrown  to  wild  beafts,  at  Tyre.      On  this   occafion 

many  of  the-  lie  fays,  would  not  hurt   them, 

upon   thofe  who  incited    them.     He 

particularly 
*  Eufeb.  Hifl.  Lib.  viii.  Cap.  6,  p.  381. 


Sxc.  I.     CHRISTIAN   CHURCrt,         glj 

particularly  mentions    a  youn^  man,  not    twenty 
years  of  age,  who  flood  without  moving  f 
place,  and  holding  his  hands  in  the  form  of  a  t 
when  a  wild  beaft   ru filing  towards  him,  fu  : 
retired.    A  bull  being  l<     '^oTeupon  five  perfons, 
did  no    h  •  £>1  them,  but  threw  feveral  of  their 

enemies  in*  ir,  and    Lore    them.     After  this, 

•thcr  beafts  -vers    let    loofe  upon  them;  but  this 
not    fucceeding,  they  were  put  to  death  by   the 
fword,  and  thrown  into  the  Tea*.     Ail  thefe   v. 
perfons  who  had  fled  from  Egypt. 

In  Egypt  itfelf,  Eufebius  fays,  there  were  men 
innumerable,  with  their  wives  and  their  children, 
put  to  death  ;*and  that  after  b^'nig  made  tojendufe 
cruel  fcourgings,  and  all  kinds  of  torture,  dreadful 
to  hear  of,  they  were  either  thrown  into  the  fire 
or  drowned.  Some  cheerfully  prefented  th  r 
heads  to  be  flruck  off,  iome  expired  under  the 
torture,  and  feme  were  famifhed  to  death.  Others 
were  crucified,  fome  in  the  manner  that  is  mod 
ufual  with  malefa&ors,  but  others  in  a  more  qruel 
way,  with  their  heads  downwards,  in  which  poftura 
they  were  fuffered  to  live  till  they  died  of  hun- 
ger?. 

But  the  torturer,  e~crcifed  on  the  chriiiians  of 
Thebais  exceeded  all  the  reft.  Some  had  their 
flefh  torn  with  (harp  (hells  till  they  died;  women, 

Vol.  I.  A  a  a  half 

*  Eufeb.  Hifh  Lib.  riil  dp.  7.  p.  834; 
f  Ibici.   Cap.  S.  p.  385. 


386       THE  HISTORY  OF  THE     Per,  VI. 

half  naked,  were  tied  by  one  foot,  with  their  heads 
downwards,  and  fufpended  upon  high  machines. 
Others  were  put  to  death  by  having  their  limbs  torn 
afunder  by  branches  of  trees,  to  which  they  had 
been  fattened,  while  they  were  bent  with  great 
violence,  and  then  fuffered  to  refume  their  natural 
pofition.  Thefe  tortures  were  continued  not  a 
few  days  only,  or  a  fhort  fpace  of  time,  but  year 
after  year ;  and  thirty,  fixty,  or  a  hundred;  men, 
women,  and  children,  were  fometimes  put  to  death 
in  different  ways  on  one  day.  Eufebius  himfelf 
faw  many  heaps  of  thofe  who  had  been  killed  in  a 
fmgle  day,  fame  beheaded,  and  others  burned. 
Oa  this  occafion  the  (words  of  the  executioners 
were  blunted  or  broken,  and  fame  being  weary 
they  were  fucceeded  by  others. 

Notwithilanding  thefe  cruelties,  fa  great  was 
the  ardour  of  the  chriftians*,  that  no  (boner  were 
fame  difpathed  frsm  the  tribunals,  than  others 
prefented  themfelves,  profeffing  that  they  were 
chriftians,  as  Eufebius  himfelf  was  witnefs  ;  rejoic- 
ing when  they  heard  their  fentence  pronounced, 
and  Tinging  pialms  and  hymns  to  their  lafl  breath. 
Some  of  thefe  were  rich  and  noble,  and  others  dif- 
tinguifhed  for  their  eloquence  and  their  knowledge 
of  philofoph y.  Of  this  clafs  was  Philoromus, 
who  was  a  chief  magiftrate  in  Alexandria,  and  had 
fat  as  a  judge  :.■■:,  furrounded  by  guards. 
Such  alfo  was    Phileas,  bifhop  of   Thmuie,  a  man 

eminent 


Sec.  I.  CHRISTIAN    CHURCH.       387 

eminent  for  philofophy.  Thcfc  two  were  fur- 
rounded  by  numerous  relations  and  friends,  who 
joined  with  the  judge  himfelf,  in  entreating  them 
to  have  companion  on  thcmfelve s,  their  wives,  and 
children ;  but  it  was  without  effect,  and  with  the 
greateft  compofure  they  lubniittcd  to  have  their 
heads  flruck  off*. 

From  an  epilllc  of  this  Philcas  to  a  pcrfon  in 
Thmuis,   Eufebius  gives  an    account  of   the  tor- 
tures inflicted  upon  the  chriitians  in  Alexandria. 
In  this  place  fome  were  killed  with  clubs,   and  o- 
thers  in   different   methods  ot   fcourging.      Some, 
with  their  hands  tied  behind  them,  were  fufpended 
on  large  (lakes,  and  then  had  all    their  limbs  vio- 
lently  llretched  by  machines.     To  fome   the  exe- 
cutioners applied  the  inilruments  of  torture,  not  to 
their  fides  onlj/,  which  had  bt^n  ufual  in  the  c 
of   murderers,    but   to  ail  parts   of    their  bodje^ 
'their  bellies,  legs,  knees,  &c.     Some. were  fufpc    - 
cd  by   one  hand  to  the    porticos,   and   c  hers  0:1 
poiivv,  wiih  their  faces  towards  each  other,  and  th 
feet  not  touching   the  ground,  and  in  this  pollurc 
they  were  fuffered  to  continue  not  only  while  the 
judge  was  fpeakiflg  to  them,  but  almoft  the  wh 
day.     por  while  he  went  to  attend  others,  Ins   rai- 
1  the  ■     -   to  releafe  any  who 
being  overcome  lence  of  their  fufferings, 

ion. 

Some 

En  eb.  hif;.  Lib.  viii.    Ls   •  %  n.  S85. 


o88        THE  HISTORY  OF  THE    Per.  VI, 

Some  were  fotorfcured  in  the  flocks,  that  they 
were  afterwards  unable  to  ftand  at  all  ;  and  many 
exhibited  a  more  frightful  %  e&ad  .•  with  their 
bmifes,  fear;;  and  diflortions,  mh  re  reco- 

yeredj  than  they  had  done  during  tfoe  torture  ltfelf. 
Seme  expired  under  the  torture,  and  others  In  pa- 
Ion  afterwards.  Some,  who  with  groat  difficulty 
had  been  cured  of  their  wounds  and  diflocations, 
being  required  to  chufe  again,  whether  they  would 
facrifice  or  die,  with  the  greated  cheerful  nefs  chofe 
the  latter;  mindful,  as  the  writer  fays,  of  the  com- 
mand not  to  worfhip  any  G#d  but  one.  Such  is 
the  account  of  Pbiieas,  written  not  with  a  view  to 
discourage  thole  to  whom  he  wrote,  but  to  teach 
them,  by  thefe   Heroic  examples  to  make  light  of 


fufferin^s  in  i'o  glorious  a  caufe. 


We  have  a  particular  accouruf  of  two  martyr- 
doms in  Africa  in  this  perftcuticr ■-,  ere  cf  Maxi- 
milian, a  young  man  of  Tevefle.  and  the  other  of 
Felix,  bifhop  of  Tubyfa,  in  Nurridia.  The  for- 
mer, being  chofen  to  ferve  in  the  army,  refufed ; 
faying  that  he  was  a  christian,  and  that,  as  fuch, 
it  was  not  lawful  'or  him  to  do  it.  Being  rold 
that  there  were  many  chrihians  who  ferved  in  the 
army  of  Maximian,  Conftantius,  and  Maximus, 

he 

*  Eufeb.  Hift.  Lib.  viii,  Cap.  10,  p.  38$. 

fThis  account  :s  taken  from  an  ancient  MS.  cud  is 
ful  '  ed  to  the  Oxford  edition  cf  the  iraa  afcribed  10 
I    ftantiusj  De  Moriiius  Persecwt&rum*    1680. 


S*c.  I.     CHRISTIAN  CHURCH.  s89 

lie  faid  that  others  r      '  t  do  what  they  t] 
per,  but  that  be  C  not  do  what  1  .a 

be  wrong.     Bei.J;.;  then  Gmtenaed  to  b  led 

for  xqfufing  th<       Litary  oath,  1  Thanks  i    to 

God,  which  to  have  I  that  the 

chriJ  -vc& 

their  feritence. 

At. I  cution  he  exhm  tc j  his  bro- 

ther to  be  had  done,  and  defired  his  father 

to  give  .  lit  o£  cloaths  (which  had  been  pre- 

pared for  him  with  a  view  to  his  going  into  the  ar- 
my) to  the  perfon  who  w*3  to  perform  the  office  of 
his  exeriu'enc*-.  Pomponia,  a  chriftian  matron, 
con  .  i  thd  body  to  Carthage,  xnd  depofited  it 
near  that  of  Cyprian,  and  dying  hexfclf  thirteen 
day:  ■  ' .  (he  was  buried  with  them.  The  father 
of  Maximilian  alib  gave  God  thanks  (or  the  ho- 
nour that  his  fon  had  received,  and  followed  him 
not  long  after. 

In  the  eighth  confulfhip  of  Diocletian,  and  the 
feventh  of  Maximian.  an  order  being  iflued  to  bum 
the  facred  books  of  the  chriflians,  and  publifhcd 
at  Tubyza  in  Numidia,  Magnilianu*  the  governor 
of  the  city  ordered  fuft  Tome  prefbyters,  and  then 
Felix  the  bifhop,  of  the  place,  to  be  brought  be- 
fore him  ;  and  having  r<  ted  the  imperial  ediQ 
he  required  him  lo  give  up  the  books  which  be- 
longed to  his  church  that  they  might  be  bun 
But  on  feis  declaring  that  he  would  rather  ^ire  his 

aw* 


39o     THE  HISTORY  OF  THE    Per.  VI. 

own  body  to  be  burned,  he  was  Cent  to  Carthage 
to  the  lieutenant  of  Anulinus  the  proconful,   and 
giving  the  fame  anfvver  there,  he  was  put  into  the 
lowed  prifon,  and  after  being  confined  initfixteen 
days,  he  was  brought  before  Anulinus  himfelf,  who 
lent  him  to  Rome  ;   and  thence  the  prefect  of  the  ' 
city  fent  him,  loaded  with  heavy  irons,  to  the  em- 
peror at    Nola.     Being  then   brought   before  the 
proper  judge,  and  perfifling  in  his  rcfufal  to   give 
up  the  lacred  books,  he  was   fentenced  to  be   be- 
headed.    For  this  he  returned  God  thanks,  as  was 
ufual;   and  after  being  allowed  to  pray,    the  fen- 
tence  was  executed   on  the  eighteenth  of  the   ca- 
lends of  February,  :    d    his   remains  were  carried 
by  his  fellow  chrifthns  to  Carthage.      He  was  fifty 
iix  years  of  age. 

In  Phrygia  there  was  a  town,  which,  becaufe 
it  confiiled  wholly  of  chriflians,  the  magiftrafes 
themfelves  as  well  as  the  other  inhabitants  (for 
they  had  with  one  \oice  reTuTed  to  facriflce)  was 
iuiTGunded  with foldiers,  who  let  fire  to  it,  and 
burned  it,  together  with  all  its  inhabitant's,  n;e:3, 
women  and  cLiUt  ri.  In  this  province  Adauclus, 
who  had  been  advanced  through  ail  the  dignities 
of- the  H  .  was  rhadi  r,  and  then 

held  the  f -'  *  rnartyrdbi  i*\ 

Itereoui  hiftorian  I  would  be  impofl 

to  recite  ine  fufFerings  i  :  th    chriftian  martyrs,  or 

to 

*  Eufeb.  Hift    Lib.viL.  O  .  11.  P-  SSO. 


Sic;  I.       CHRISTIAN  CHURCH.  39r 

to  defcribe  the  various  tortures  to  irhiefa  they  were 
expofed,  In  fome  places  they  were  generally  be- 
headed, as  in  Ar.ibi  i  ;  in  fome  they  were  Left  to 
die  with  their  limbs  brV*en,  as  in  Cappadocia  ;  in 
fome  they  were  fufpended  by  the  feet,  with  their 
heads  downwards,  and  in  this  atuacion  a  fire  was 
made  under  them  till  they  were  fuffocated  with 
the  fmoke,  as  was  done  in  Mefdpotamia  ;  in  fome 
places  their  nofes,  ears,  hands,  and  other  lira 
were  cat  off,  as  at  Alexandria  ;  in  other  places 
they  were  roafied,  but  not  fuflFcred  to  die,  on  a 
gridiron.  Others  chofe  to  put  their  right  hai 
into  the  fire  rather  than  facrifice.  and  (ome  being 
purfued  threw  themfelves  headlong  from  high 
buildings  rather  than  fall  into  the  hands  of  their 
enemies. 

One  woman  of  rank  and  fortune  at  Antioch 
being  apprehended,  with  two  beautiful  daughters, 
who  dreaded  violation  more  than  any  thing  e\[e 
they  could  fuffer,  having  got  leave  from  the  {oldi^ 
ers,  to  whofe  cuflody  they  had  been  committed, 
to  withdraw  a  little,  threw  themfelves  into  the  ri- 
ver and  were  drowned.  Two  other  women  of  the 
fame  place,  filters,  diftinguiihed  by  their  birth, 
fortune,  and  every  accomplishment,  were  thrown 
into  the  fea.* 

The  fufferings  of  the  martyrs  in  Pontu^,  Eu- 
febius   fays^  were    particularly  frightful.     In    this 

1  i  wince 
*  Eufeb.  Hift.  Lib.  viii,  Cap,  12,  p.  391. 


I9«      THE  HISTORY  OF  THE  Pea.  YI 

province  fonae  kad  reed  under  the   naiis  of 

all  x.  ieir  fingers,  fome  had  melted  lead  poured 
upon  them,  and  others  were  tortured  in  the  mci 
1  rible  manner  in  their  private  parts,  and  their 
bowels ;  their  judges  as  it  were  contending  with 
each  other,  whoihould  e&cel  the  red  in  the  inven- 
tion >f  tortures.  At  length,  being  tired  of  tfrefe 
cruelties  they  denfleJ  of  ihemfelves  from  inflict- 
ing eapisai  punilhments,  as  if  by  a  fpecial  favour 
of  the  emperors,  and  contented  themfelves  with 
putting  our.  the  Ibrne,  and  laming  others, 

which  was  the  g  •    foeir  mmifhments.    Bat 

itwasimpoffi  i  v:  umber  of  thoie  w;~  >fe 

'it  eyes  were  itout^and  &eo  Lad  caute- 

ries applied  to  them,  and  who  were  afterwards  feat 
to  the  mines  in  the  ce.     Thefe   iufferings, 

the  hiftorian  fays,  were  borne  with  fuch  fortitude, 
as  filled  the  whole  world  with  the  highlit  admira- 
tion - 

In  a  feparate  chapter  Eufehius  recites  the  fuf- 
ferings  oi  the  bifhops,  and  fome  of  the  fuperior 
gy.  Anihimius  bilhop  of  Nicomedia,  as  men- 
tioned before,  was  beheaded.  Oi  the  Aniiachians 
was  Lucien  a  preibyter,  a  man  of  exemplary  piety, 
who  delivered  an  apology  to  the  emperors  at  Ni- 
eomedia,  and  fuffered  there.  In  Phoenicia,  Ty- 
rannio  bifhop  of  Tyre,  and  Zenobius  bilhop  of 
Sidon,  were  martyrs ;  as  alio  Sylvanus  bifhop  of 
Emefa,  who  was  thrown  to  tho  wild  beads,  toge- 
ther 


Seo.  L       CHRISTIAN   CHURCH, 


393 


er  with  fome  pthcr  perfons  of  the  fame  place.  Tha 
two  others  differed  at  Antioch,  Tyrannio  being 
thrown  into  the  fei,  and  Zenobius  (who  was  an 
excellent  phyfician)  dying  under  torture  with  iron 
hooks. 

Among  the  clergy  of  Paleftine  who  were  mar- 
tyrs was  Sylvanus,  bifhop  of  Gaza,  who,  with 
thirty-nine  other  perfons  was  beheaded  in  the 
mines  of  Phaenus.  In  the  fame  place  the  Egyp- 
tian bifhops  Peleus  and  Nilus,  with  fome  oihcr 
perfons  were  burned.  But  none  appeared  to  our 
author  to  deferve  a  higher  commendation  than 
Paraphilus,  a  prefbyter  of  Casfarea,  of  whofe  fuf- 
ferings an  account  will  be  given  in  another  place. 

Of  the  martyrs  among  the  clergy  in  Egypt, 
was  Peter  bifhop  of  Alexandria,  with  the  pref- 
byters  Dius  and  Ammonius,  and  likewise  Phi- 
leas,  Hefychius,  Pachumius,  and  Theodorus,  all 
bifhops  of  different  cities.  There  were  alio, 
he  fays,  fix  hundred  others  by  no  means  ob- 
fcure  perfons,  belonging  to  different  churches 
in  Egypt,  the  particulars  of  whofe  fufferings  he 
leaves  to  be  related  by  thofe  who  were  eye-wit- 
nefTes  of  them  ;  he  himfelf  propohng  to  give  a 
like  particular  account  of  thofe  martyrs  of  whofe 
fufferings  he  himfelf  was  witnefs,  in  a  feparate  work, 
viz.  of  the  maityrs  of  Paleftine*, 

Vol.  I.  Ebb  Thk 

.*  Eufeb.  Hift.  Lib.  viii,  Cap.  U,  p. 393. 


394     THE  HISTORY  OF  THE  Per.  VI. 

This  was  the  firft  perfecution,  in  which,  by 
the  orders  of  government,  an  attempt  was  made 
to  deftroy  the  facred  books  of  the  chriftians. 
And  M ofheim,  with  great  probability,  conjectures 
that  Hierocles,  or  fome  other  learned  heathen, 
fuggefted  this  meafure  ;  and  hefuppofes  that  ma« 
ny  valuable  treatifes  may  have  been  loft  in  confe- 
quence  of  it.  This  may  have  been  the  cafe  with 
refpecl  to  fome  books  of  which  there  were  few 
copies,  or  to  the  original  copies  of  the  books  of  the 
New  Teftament  ;  but  there  were  at  this  time  too 
many  copies  of  the  fcriptures  (the  books  which 
the  chriftians  valued  moil)  for  fuch  an  order  to 
have  any  effecl:.  On  the  contrary,  the  natural 
confequence  of  fuch  a  meafure  would  be,  that 
books  of  value  would  be  concealed  with  greater 
care,  and  more  copies  would  be  taken  of  them  than 
ever. 


SEC 


Sac.  II.      CHRISTIAN  CHURCH,         395 


SECTION     II. 


Of  the  Condutl   of  the  Heathen  Philofophers,   and 
ofthefrfi  Stop  that  was  put  to  the  Perfection. 


T  is  remarkable  that  we  have  no  example 
of  any  heathen  philofopher  pleading  in  favour  of 
toleration,  or  expreffing  any  compaflion  for  the 
fufferings  of  chriftians,  in  this  perfecution,  or  any 
of  the  preceding  ones.  On  the  contrary,  like 
Marcus  Antoninus,  who  holds  a  high  rank  among 
philofophers,  as  well  as  of  emperors,  they  bore 
the  moft  implicable  hatred  to  the  chriftians,  and 
rejoiced  in  every  event  that  was  unfavourable  to 
them.  For  notwithstanding  many  of  the  learned 
chriftians  retained,  or  adopted,  the  principles  of 
Plato,  or  thofe  of  Come  other  philofophers  (fome 
fpecies  of  philofophy  being  the  mod  important 
articles  of  liberal  education  in  thofe  days,  and  with- 
out fome  knowledge  of  which  no  pcrfon  was  con- 
fidered  as  having  any  pretentions  to  fcholarfhip) 
and  though  by  incorporating  platonifm  with  chrif- 
tianity  many  of  the  learned,  who  gave  fome  atten- 
tion to  the  hiftorical  evidences  of  chriflianity, 
were,  no  doubr,  brought  to  think  better  of  it.  and 

even 


396       THE  HISTORY  OF  THE    Per,  VI. 

even  to  embrace  it  ;  yet  the'conduft  of  all  chrifti- 
an  teachers  was  fo  much  the  reverfe  of  that  of  mere 
philofophers,  that  they  could  not  but  remain  hoftile 
to  each  other. 

The  chriftians  not  only    inculcated    do&rines 
of  infinitely  more  importance  than  any  of  the  phir 
lolophers  pretended  to,  and  with  an   evidence  that 
was  level  to  the  plainefl  capacities,  but   they  took 
pains  to  teach  the  unlearned  among    the  common 
people,  whom  the  philofophers  held  in  great  con- 
tempt, as  unworthy  their  inftruftions.     According 
to  the  principles  of  chriftianity,  all  mankind  with- 
out any  diftin£Hon  of   high  or    low,  rich  or  poor, 
are  equally  candidates  for  a    happy  immortality; 
and  in  this  great  refpe&,   compared   to   which  all 
other  diftin&icns  are  of  no  moment  whatever,  the 
meaneft  flaves  are  equal  to  their  mailers.     Before 
fuch  a  fyftem  as  this  the  boafted  fuperiority  of  phi- 
lofophers to  peafants  or    mechanics  abfolutely  va- 
nifhed.     They  therefore  felt  their  price  mortified, 
andfaw  themfelves  and  the  fcience  they  pietenicd 
to,   eclipfed  by  the    illiterate  among  the  comiru  n 
people,  whom  they    had  fo   much   cefpifed.      In 
this  ftate  of  mind  they  ccnfoled   themfelves    with 
affe&ing  to  defpife  thofe  who  defpifed  them  ;  and 
without  demeaning  themfelves  to  examine  the  his- 
torical evidence  of  the  faols  on  which   chriftianity 
is  founded,   they   fupercilicufly   contented    them- 
felves with  ccnfidering  it  is   a  new  thing,   brought 

into 


Sec.  II.    CHRISTIAN  CHURCH.  307 

into  the  world  by  obfeure  perform,  with  a  crucified 
malefactor  and  fome  fi  mermen,  at  its  head  ;  and 
with  faying  that  it  was  impolfible  that  fuch  people 
as  thefe  fhould teach  the  world  any  thing  new,  or 
nt, 
Belides,  the  heathen  philofophers.  how  much 
foever  fome  o(  them  might  defpife  the  fuperftiti- 
ous  rites  of  their  country,  univerfally  conformed 
to  them,  and  promoted  the  obf.rvance  of  them  in 
others;  and  many  of  them  were,  no  doubt,  ferious- 
\y  perfuaded  that  things  of  fuch  venerable  anti- 
quity were  of  a  facred  nature,  and  in  fome  un- 
known manner  connected  with  the  well  being  of 
ftates.  Being  ignorant  of  true  fcience,  and  the 
real  laws  of  nature,  philofophers  themfelveS;  as 
they  were  called,  were  as  fuperflitious  as  the  lowed 
of  the  vulgar,  believing  in  omens,  and  the  power 
of  charms  and  magic.  Of  this  every  age,  even  fo 
late  as  that  of  Julian,  in  which  more  good  fenfe 
miijht  have  been  expecled,  fufnlfnes  abundant 
proof.  On  this  account  the  philosophy  of  Mar- 
cus Antoninus,  and  of  Julian  did  rttit  cmancipaJe 
their  minds  from  the  moftabfurd  fuperftitions,  cr 
difpofe  the  in  to  humanity  with  r6fpe&  to 
men  who  entertained  opinions  different  from  th; 
though  they  were  gyilty  of  no  offences  agailifl 
fociety,  or  the  ftate;and  they  were  only  the  more 
provoked  ic  find  them  to  be  fuch  men  is      \    53rd 

to 


39S        THE  HISTORY  OF  THE    Per.  VI, 

to  God  and  conference  rendered  fuperior  to  their 
threats. 

The  firft  ftop  that  was  put  to  this  cruel  pi\  fe- 
cutionwasthe  effect  of  a  fuperfimoc,  fiinilar  to  that 
which  had  occafioned  it.  Galenus  Maximian, 
by  whofe  inftigation  the  meafure  had  been  adopt- 
ed, being  feizedwith  a  dreadful  ulcer  in  his  anus, 
which  arretted  all  the  neighbouring  parts,  and 
alraofl  his  whole  body  (fo  that  it  bred  worms,  and 
the  flench  of  it  was  fo  effenfive  as  to  be  insup- 
portable to  his  neareft  domeftics)  having  found 
the  aid  of  his  phyficians,  and  alfo  his  prayers  and 
his  facrifices  to  the  heathen  gods,  unavailable,  at 
length  publifhed  a  refcript  in  favour  ot  the  chrif- 
tians,  a.  d.  311. 

In  this  refcript  we  fee  the  true  principle  of  the 
perfecutions,  viz.  that  it  was  intended  to  reilore 
the  antient  rites,  in  order  to  eftablifh  the  profperity 
of  the  ftate.  We  likewife  fee  in  it  a  confeffion  of 
an  inability  to  fucceed  in  that  meafure,  notwith- 
ftanehng  all  the  violence  with  which  it  had  been 
carried  on,  and  that  though  fome  had  been  induc- 
ed to  abandon  chriilianity,  they  did  not  therefore 
become  worihippers  of  the  heathen  gods,  but 
threw  afide  all  regard  to  religion.  On  thefe  ac- 
counts the  emperor  abandoned  tho  meafure,  and 
heendeavouid  to  do  it  in  fuch  a  manner  as  to  gain 
fome  credit  for  his  clemency.  Withal  he  enter- 
tained fome  hope  that  when   all  other  help  failed, 

h« 


Sec.  II.        CHRISTIAN    CHURCH.      395 

he  might  be  relieved  by  the  God  of  the  chriflians, 
whom  he  defired  to  intercede  for  him.  As  this 
refcriptis  mod  curious  and  important,  I  fhall  give 
the  whole  of  it  nearly  in  the  tranflation  of  Dr. 
Lardner. 

"  The  emperor  Cncfar  Galerius  Valerius  Max- 
"  imian,  invincible,  auguft,  high-prieft,  to  the 
"  people.  Among  other  things  which  we  have 
"  ordered,  with  a  view  to  the  benefit  and  profperi- 
"  ty  of  the  public,  we  did,  indeed,  formerly  flrive 
11  to  correct  all  things  according  to  the  antitnt 
11  laws,  andeflablifhed  conftitution  of  the  Romans  ; 
"  and  among  other  things  that  the  chriflians  who 
"  had  forfaken  the  religion  of  their  anceftors,  mould 
"  return  to  a  right  mind  ;  forasmuch  as  by  fome 
"  means  fuch  an  obftanacy  had  feized  them,  and 
"  fuch  was  their  folly,  that  they  followed  not  the 
"  inftitutions  of  the  ancients,  which  pollibly  fome 
"  of  their  own  anceftors  had  appointed,  but  accord- 
f'  ing  to  their  fancy,  and  juftas  they  pleafed,  they 
(i  made  laws  for  themfelves,  to  be  obferved  and 
"  followed  by  them  ;  and  in  many  places  they 
"  drew  over  multitudes  of  people  to  follow  their 
"  cuftoms.  Wherefore,  when  after  we  had  pub- 
"  lifhed  our  edicl  that  they  mould  return  to  the 
"  inftitutions  of  the  ancients,  many  have  been  ex- 
"  pofed  to  danger,  and  many  have  been  great  I  v 
"  afflicled,  and  have  undergone  various  kinds  of 
"  deaths  ;    and  forasmuch  as  great  multitudes  per- 

"fift 


4oo     THE  HISTORY  OF  THE    Per.  VI, 

"  fift  in  their  opinions,  and  we  have  perceived  that 
"  they  give  not  due  worfhip  and  reverence  to  the 
"  immortaf  gods,  nor  yet  worfhip  the  God  of  the 
"  chriftians  ;  We,  duly  conficering  our  accuftom* 
"  ed  mildnefs  and  humanity,  with  which  we  are 
"  wont  to  difpenie  pardon  to  all  men,  have  thought 
"  proper  readily  to  hold  forth  to  them  our  indul- 
"  gence,  that  they  may  at  length  be  chriftians,  and 
"  that  they  may  rebuild  the  houfes  in  which  they 
"  have  ufed  to  affemble,  provided  they  do  nothing 
"  contrary  to  good  government.  By  another  letter 
"  we  fhall  make  known  ourpleafure  to  the  judges, 
"  for  the  direction  of  their  conduct.  Wherefore* 
"  agreable  to  this  our  indulgence,  they  ought  to 
"  pray  to  their  God  for  our  welfare,  and  for  that  of 
"  the  public,  and  I  .  .heir  own  j  that  on  all  fides 
"  the  public  may  be  prefevved  in  fafety,  and  they 
'*  may  live  fecurely  in  their  own  habitations**" 

This  edict,  which  was  publifhedat  Nicomedia 
on  the  laft  day  of  April,  a.  d.  3 1 1,  did  not  proceed 
from  any  remorfe  of.confcience,  to  which  Em'ebi- 
us  afcribes  it ;  but,  as  Mofneim  juftly  obferves,  it 
was  fuggefted  by  fuperftition,  and  we  may  add 
by  defpair  of  gaining  his  object.  Maximian  did 
not  long  fuvvive  this  edict  ;  and  its  beneficial  ef- 
fects, as  Eufebius  obfervesf,  were  not  univerfal. 
For  Maximin  who  ruled  in  the  Eaft,  not  approv- 
ing 

#  Heathen  Teflimonies,  Vol.  iii,  p.  29G. 

f  Eufeb.  Hib.  Lib.  ix.  Cap.  1.  p*  439, 


Sec.  III.     CHRISTIAN  CHURCH.        40l 

ingofit,  did  not  publifh  it  in  the  proper  form>, 
but  only  mentioned  it  to  fome  ot  the  governors,  as 
they  did  to  others.  However  Sabmus,  the  praeto- 
rian prefect  wrote  to  all  the  governors  of  provinces, 
fignifying  that,  fincc  it  had  been  found  i?aapo(IibIe 
to  reduce  the  chriflians  by  any  means  to  the  obe- 
dience of  the  laws,  they  fhould  not  be  any  more 
rnolefted.  On  this  the  perfecution  ceafed,  the 
chriftians  were  reftored  to  their  churches,  and  thofe 
who  had  been  condemned  to  the  mines  were  fct 
at  liberty*. 


SECTION     III. 

The  Renewal  of  the  Perfecution,   and  the  final  Cefi 
fationof  it. 


T 


HIS  favourable  Hate  of  things  did  not 
continue  more  than  fix  months.  And  as  a  pre- 
tence for  renaming  the  perfecution,  Maximin,  who 
had  been  created  Casfar  in  a.  d.  306,  and  who 
governed  in  the  Eaft,  procured  formal  applications 
Vol.  I.  Ccc  t0 

•  Eufeb.  flift.  Lib.  ix.  Cap.  1,  p.410, 


402         THE  HISTORY  OF  THE    Per.  VL 

to  be  made  to  him  from  Antioch,  and  other  cities, 
requeuing  that  no  chriftians  miQht  be  permitted 
to  refide  in  them.  His  chief  agent  in  this  bufi- 
nefs  at  Antioch,  was  Theotecnus,  a  bitter  and 
crafty  enemy  of  the  chriftians,  who  had  confecrated 
a  ftatue  to  Jupiter  Philius,  and  who  pretended 
that  it  had  given  out  an  oracle  to  this  purpofu*. 
The  emperor  readily  complied  with  the  prayers 
which  he  himfeif  had  fuggtfted,  and  the  heathen 
rites  being  reftored  with  great  zeal  in  all  places, 
the  perfecution  of  the  chriftians  was  refumedt. 

Eulebius  then  relates  a  lingular  contrivance  of 
the  hea:hens  to  difcredit  chriftianity.     Tiiey  pub- 
lifhed  fictiiious  Memoirs  of  Pilate,   and  diftribut- 
ed  copies  of  them  through  all  the  provinces    fub- 
jecl  to  Maximin,  with  orders   that  they   mould  be 
taught  to  children  in  the  fchools.      Alfo  fome  wo- 
men of  Damascus  were  prevailed  upon  hy  threats, 
to  give  evidence    that  the   chriftians  of  that  city 
were  guilty  of   thofe    abominable    actions,   which 
had  fo  often  been  laid  to  their  charge.     Thefe   al- 
legations were  likewife  added  to  the  Memoirs,  and 
by  order  of  the  prince  they  were  likewife  publish- 
ed in  all  places^.      Some  of  the  perfons  who  had 
been  mod   aclive   in  procuring   thefe   allegations 
afterwards  laid  violent  hands  upon  themfelves. 

The 
*  Eufeb.  Lib.  ix.  Cap.  3.  p-  442. 
t  Ibid.  Hill.  Lib.  ix.  Cap.  4.  p.  -lis. 
J  Ibid.  Lib.  ix.  Cap.   5.  p,  4-I0 


Sec.   III.  CHRISTIAN  CHURCH.  403 

The  perfecutioir  bfeing  thus  refumed,  three 
Tons,  who  confefled  that  th  titans,  at  £« 

mcii  (one  of  them  !  > 

ol  the  place   forty  j  the  wild 

beads.      At  the   lame    tunc  Peter,  who  ha3  with 
great  reputation   bi-en  I  idi     .  was, 

by  the  efpecial  orde.  scimin,    beheaded  ;  and 

in  the*  fame  manner  were  other  E 
pjt  to  death.  And  Lncian,  a  prefbytcr  of  Anti- 
och,  mentioned  before  (the  fame  who  is  (aid  to 
have  been  at  the  head  ef  the  unitarians  there)  be- 
ing carried  to  Nicorpedia,  where  Maximin  then 
was,  was  put  to  death  in  prifon*.  The  refcripts 
of  the  emperors  againft  the  chriflians  were  alio  by 
order  ol  Miximin,  engraved  on  brafs,  and  letup 
in  the  cities,  wheh  had  never  been  done  be!orc, 
and  they  were  read  in  the  ichocls  along  with  the 
Memoirs  of  Pilate  above  mentioned. 

A  copy  of  this  emperoi's  rescript,  addrefled  to. 
the  people  of  Tyre^  with  refpecl  to  what  they   had 
decreed. againft  the  chriftians  entry  Eufebius 

from  the  table  01  brafs  on  v>\>>cn  it  was  engraved  ; 
and  a-  it  (hews  the  ti  it  of   heathenifm  more 

distin&Iy  than  any  <  r  publi  monumentoi  e 
kind,  1  (hall  ^;vc  t:  e  whole  of  it  nearly  in  t  e 
tranilation  of  Dr.    Lardnei". 

"  Now,  at  ;.  dent   confidence  of 

*•  reeir;  baving  ence   (fcek-ep.i-ff   the  daik  mitts.  »f 

it  rrro»* 
*  Euftrb.   I  ift.  Lib.  ix,  Cap.  6,  p.  444. 


4o4       THE  HISTORY  OF  THE    Per,  VI. 

tc  error  and  ignorance,  which  for  a  time  blinded 
"  the  minds  of  men,  rather  miferable  than  wicked, 
*;  may  diicern  that  the  world  is  governed  by  the 
"  indulgent  providence  of  the  immortal  gods.  It 
"  is  impoflible  to  fay  how  grateful,  how  delightful; 
**  how  acceptable,  your  pious  refolution  for  the 
"  honour  of  the  gods  has  been  to  us.  Nor  was  it 
"  before  unknown  to  any,  how  great  is  your  ref- 
"  pe6fc  and  veneration  for  the  gods,  which  have 
"  been  manifefled  not  by  vain  words  only,  bufc 
"  alfo  by  great  works  ;  on  which  account  your 
"  city  may  be  defervedly  filled  the  feat  and  habita- 
"  tion  of  the  immortal  gods  ;  and  it  is  evident  by 
"  many  proofs,  that  fhe  flcurifhes  by  the  advent 
"  and  prefence  of  :he  heavenly  deities.  And  now 
"  your  city,  negligent  of  your  own  particular  inter- 
"  eft,  and  no  longer  fending  to  me  the  requefts 
e(  which  you  were  formerly  wont  to  fend,  condu- 
"  civeto  your  own  profperity  ;  when  it  perceived 
"  th^it  the  promoters  of  the  deteflable  vanity  began 
"  to  creep  abroad  again,  and  that  like  fire  carelefs- 
"  3y  raked  up,  it  broke  out  with  redoubled  vio- 
"  lence,  immediately  without  delay,  you  had  re- 
e{  courfc  to  our  piety,  as  the  metropolis  of  all  re- 
"  ligion,  re  ;  redrefs  and  affiftance  ;  nor  can 

"  it  be  doubted  that  this  wholefonie  clefign  has 
"  been  put  into  your  minds  by  the  immortal  gods, 
11  for  the  fake  cf  jour  picus  regard  for  them. 
"  The  moft  high  and  moft    mighty  Jupiter,    whq 

f  prefides 


Sec,  III.  CHRISTIAN  CMUItCH,         403 

"  prefides   in    your  famous    city,    who    prcferves 

<:  your  country  gods,   your  wives,   your  children, 

"  your  families,  and  houfes,  irom  deftrudion,  has 

"  fuggefted  this  portion  'o  you.      He  it  it  who  has 

"  breathed  :iito  your  minds   this   falutary    refolu- 

"  tio*:,   evidently  fhewing  how  excellent,  and   no^ 

'•  ble,  and  pi  .  it  is  to  worfhip  him,  and   to 

u  perform  the  facrcd  rites  and   ceremonies   of   the 

(i  immortal  gods  with  due  veneration.      Who  c    1 

tl  be    fo   void  of  all    fenfe  and    reafon,  as  not   to 

:ow,  that  it   is  owing  to    the  propitious  fa&Oftif 

"  and  bounty  of  the  gods  towards  us,  that  the  earth 

"  does  not  neglect  to  reftore  to  us  the  feeds  com- 

"  mitted  to   it,  that  the  hope  of  the    htafbandman 

"  is  not  difappointed,  that  the  afpeel  of  deftruttive 

Cl  war  is  not  immoveably  fixed  on  the  earth,  that 

"  our  bodies  are  not  deflroyed   by  the  intemper- 

"  ance  of  the  air.  that   the   fea  is  not  perpetually 

"  toffed  and  made  to  overflow  with   flormy  wine's, 

"  and  that  the  earth  the  mother    and  nurfe  ot  all 

"  things,  is  not  rent  afunder  by    agitations   within 

«'  its  own    bowels,  and    mountains   {wallowed  up 

"  by  vaft  and  unexpected  fcifli-res  ?     There  is  no 

"  man  who  does  not  know  that  ail  thefe,  and  worfe 

':  calamities,  have  heretofore  often  happened;  and 

"  they  have  befallen  us  on  account  of    the  pernici- 

"  ous  error,  y  vanity,  of  thefe  execrable 

"  men,  which  are  io  ipread  as  to  cover  almcil  the 

*{  whole 


4o6    THE  HISTORY  OF  THE  Per.   VI. 

"  whole  earth  with  fliame  and  difhonour."     After 
fome  other  things,  he  adds, 

"  Let  men  now  look  into  the  open  fields,  and 

*  lee  the  flourifhing  corn  waving  its  full  ears  ;  let 

"  them  fee  the  meadows   bedecked  with  plants  and 

"  flowers,  that  have  been  watered  with   feafottable 

"  rain  ;    let  them  obferve  the  calm  and  agreeable 

«  temperature  of  the  air  ;    let  all  men,  therefore, 

«  henceforth  rejoice,   that  by  your  piety  and    ref- 

"  pea  for  the  facred  rites  ot    religion,    the  deity  of 

"  the  moft  valiant  and  mod  potent  Mars  has  been 

«  appeafed,  and  that  they  may  now  fecurely  enjoy 

"  the  benefits  o(  a  profound  and  delightful  peace. 

"  As  many  have  forfaken   that    blind  error,  and 

"  intricate  maze  of  vanity  %  and  are   returned  to  a 

"  light  and  found   mind,  let   them    rejoice  abun- 

«  dandy,  as  men  delivered  from  a  dangerous  tern- 

"  peft,  or  a  grievous  difeafe,  and    who   have  now 

"  before  them  the  profpeel  of  a  pleafant  and  com- 

"  fortable  life  for  the   time  to  come.     Bat  if  any 

"  ftill  perhft  in  their  vain  and  dtteftable  folly,  let 

"  them  be  expelled   far  away   from  your  city  and 

"  country,  as  you  have  denied  ;  that  thus,  confor- 

«  mable  to  your  laudable  care  in  this  matter,  your 

"  city  being  purged  from  all  defilement  and  y>  ick- 

"  ednefs,  you  may  according  to  your   own  genu- 

"  ine  difpohiicn,   with  all  due  veneration  and  {q- 

"  lemnity,  perform  ihe  facn  d    rites  ot  the  imm.cr- 

"  tal  gods.      And  that  you  may  know  how  gi 

"  ful 


Sec.  III.      e&ttlSTIAN    CHURCH.       407 

•i  fid  this  your  petition  has  been  to  me,  and  that, 
•  without  decrees  and  without  petitions,  1  am  of 
"  m)  fell  forward  to  encourage  well  difpofed  minds, 
M  we  permit  you  to  afk  the  greater)  benefit  you 
"  can  afk,  as  a  reward  for  fo  religious  a  purpofe. 
'*  Take  cue  that  you  afk  immediately,  and  that 
"  you  receive  what  you  afk  ;  for  you  (hall  obtain 
li  it  without  delay  ;  which  benefit,  beflowed  up- 
M  on  your  city,  (hall  be  henceforward,  throughout 
M  all  time,  a  monument  ot  your  devout  piety  for 
"  the  immortal  gods,  and  fhall  declare  to  your 
"  children  and  poflerity,  that  you  have  received 
"  from  our  hands  a  recompence  ot  your  love  and 
k{  virtue*/' 

We  here  fee  all  kinds  of  temporal  profperity 
moll  confidently  afcribed  to  the  influence  of  the 
heathen  gods,  in  confequence  of  the  obfervance  of 
the  ancient  rites,  and  on  the  other  hand,  every 
fpecies  of  temporal  calamity  is  afcribed  to  the  ne- 
glect of  thofe  rites,  in  confequence  of  the  general 
fpread  of  chriflianity,  which  is  here  clearly  acknow- 
ledged, and  grievoufly  lamented.  This  refcript, 
Eufebius  fayi,  w*s  fixed  up  on  pillars  in  every 
province,  fo  as  to  take  from  the  ennftians,  as  far  as 
the  power  of  man  could  go,  all  hope  of  a  favoura- 
ble turn  to  iheir  affairs. 

We  have  feen  an  infeription  in  honour  of  Ne- 
ro, as  having  extirpated  ehriftiamty  out  of   Spain. 

Two 
*  Tellimonies,  Vol.  iii.  p.  316. 


4o8     THE  HISTORY  OF  THE    Per,  VI. 

Two  infcrfptions  have  alfo  been  difcovered 
which  afcribe  the  fame  fuccefs  to  Diocletian, 
Maximian,  and  Galerius,  exprefling  that,  "  the 
"  name  of  the  chrifiians,  who  had  overturned  the 
(i  ftate,  was  extinguifhed*."  How  eafy  is  it  to 
flatter  princes  with  accomplishing  what  is  above 
their  power  ?  So  far  was  this  perfecution,  notwith- 
Handing  its  long  continuance  and  leverity,  from 
extirpating  chriflianity,  that  it  was  the  means  of 
giving  it  a  firmer  eilablifhment  than  ever  it  had  be- 
fore, and  of  extending  the  bounds  of  it.  The  con- 
flancy  of  the  martyrs  could  not  but  aflonifh  many 
of  the  heathens,  and  it  convinced  great  numbers, 
that  fo  remarkable  an  e  fleet,  a  thing  unknown  to 
the  world  betore,  mull  have  fome  folid  caufe.  This 
would  lead  them  to  inquire  into  the  nature  and 
evidence  of  chriflianity,  and  the  confequence  of 
this  with  refpec"l  to  great  numbers  was  a  perfuafion 
of  its  truth.  Many  of  the  perfecuted  chriftians 
alfo  fled  into  diiiant  countries,  and  by  this  means 
carried  the  knowledge  of  chriPiianity  whither  it 
would  not  otherwife  have  reached  fo  foon.  How- 
ever, while  the  emperor's  fervants  were  executing 
their  orders  in  tie  provinces,  and  the  chrifiians 
defpstircdof  all  aid,  the  tyrant  was  curbed,  and  the 
melt  unexpected  relief  was  afforded  themf  • 

As 

*Teflimonies,  Vol.  ii.  p.  321. 

t  Eufeb.  Hill-  Lib.  viii.  Cap.  7,  p,  447, 


Sec  III.    CHRISTIAN  CHURCH.      403 

As  if  it  had  been  ie  d  i  i  *n  >1  m  •  i  :  jqcc  to 
contradict  the  vai-i  pr  en  ions  0  M  ixi  ni  ■..  with 
refpe&to  the  unintcr.  ;  A "peril    .vh    h      con- 

fidently exp«6Ud  from  the  1  of  the  i 

of  the  heathen  worfhip,  ih  re  prefently  folio  Wed  a 
total  failure  of  the  ufual  qj  intity  oi  inn,  to  which 
fuccceded  a  famine,  attended,  as  ufaa!,  by  a  dread!  ;l 
peftilence,  the  effefts  of  which  are.  particularly 
dcfcribed  by  Eufebms.  Maximin  was  alfo  wor fl- 
ed in  a  war  which  he  carried  on  again  It  the  Arme- 
nian?, who  were  generally  chriflians,  and  v.  lona  he 
had  endeavoured  to  bring  back  by  Iujcc  to  the  wor- 
fhip  of  the  heathen  gods.  In  the  ravages  of  this  pef- 
tilence the  chriftians  were  diflinguifhedby  their  care 
of  the  fick,  and  the  burial  of  the  dead,  as  they  have 
been  obferved  to  be'pn  a  former  cccafion  ;  while  the 
heathens  lhamefully  neglected  thefe  duties  ;  and 
this,  being  obferved,  operated  greatly  in  favour 
of  chnftianity,  as  the  religion  which  alone  could 
infpire  fuch  humanity  and  courage*. 

Soon  after  thefe  events  arrived  the  news  of  the 
defeat  of  Maxentius  by  Conuantine  and  Licinius, 
and  their  refcript  in  favour  •■  r  fT—  chriftians  ;    g:v- 
ing  to  them,  and  to   all  the   fuJyeSs     r  the  fir. 
a  complete  toleration  with  refpeft  to  everj      liing 
relating  to  religion,    an  J    reftoring    to  them  th 
places  of  public  worfhip,  and  all  the  poffefli  >n$  of 
which  they  had  been  deprived  in  the  courfe  of  th  : 

Vol.  I.  D  d  d  late 

Kufeb.  Hill'  Lib.  viii.  Cap.  8.  p.  44-?, 


4to     THE  HISTORY  OF  THE    Per.  VI. 

hue  perfection.      Miximin,    finding  himfelf  una- 
ble to  oppofe  them,  and  reduced    to  the  neceifity 
ot  cot)  flying  with  their  meafures,   now    publifhed 
arefciipt  of  his   own,  by  which   he  exempted  all 
chruliins  from  punifhment,  but  without  exprefsly 
permitting    th.-m  io  rebuild    their   churches,  or  to 
relume    J  heir    public   worfhlp.       The    chriftians, 
therefore,  apprehending  fuch  a  change  in  his  con- 
duct as  had  taken  place  before,  put  no  confidence 
in  his  promdes,  which  were  evidently  the  effecl;  of 
compuifion*. 

After  this  Maximin  made  war  upon    Licinius, 

and  being  worfted  in  it,  he  fir  ft  of  all  put  to  death 

the  priefls  and  prophets  of  the   heathen   gods,  by 

whole  vain  promifes  he  had  undertaken    the    war, 

as  if  they  had  been  conjurors   and    traitors  ;  and 

then  giving  glory,  as  E  ifebius  fays,  to  the  God  of 

the    christians,  he  publifhed    an  unexceptionable 

refcript  in  their  favour,  giving  them  entire  liberty 

to  rebuild  their  churches,   and  feftbring   to  them 

whatever  lands,  or  other  properly,  had  been    con- 

fifcated.      Soon  after   this    he  died  of  a    grevious 

difeafe.  But  Ladantius  fays,  that  he  was  ieized  with 

this  difeafe  before  the  publication  of  this  laft  edicl, 

and  that  he  implored  the  forgivenefs  of  the  chiis- 

tians,  praying  for  relief  from  his  distemper. + 

Maximin 

*  Eufeb.  Lib.  viii.  Cap.  9.  p-  455, 

]•  De  Mortibus  Perfecutorum,  Cap.  49,  p-  90. 


Sec.  III.      CHRISTIAN    CHURCH.        411 

Maximin  being  dead,  a,  d.  314,  ho  was  cje- 
clared  to  be  a  public  enemy,  i:*  1  >nf  qu<  1  ce  of 
which  his  ihtues  ware  every  where  thr,<  n, 

and  thole  who   had  tapen  his  part,   and    who 
been  his  chief  instruments  in  the  perfecutjon  of  the 
chriilians,  were  put  to  death.      Ai     11  g    h<  '      Kvas 
Picentius,    for    whom   lie    had  had  particular 

friendfhip,  and  Caledonus,  who  bad  dil  'bed 

himfeli  by  the  unbounded  Daughter  of  ihz  chrifti- 
ans  in  Egypt.  Theotecnus  alio  was  put  to  dea'h, 
after  being  firfl  tortured,  together  with  thofe  priefts 
and  prophets  of  Antioch  who  had  been  fo  active 
in  the  bufinefs  of  the  image  and  oracle  above- 
mentioned.  The  children  of  Maximin  alfo, 
and  his  favourites  in  general,  were  put  to  death*. 

Thus  ended  this  great  pcrfecution,  till  it  was 
revived  for  a  fhort  time  by  Licinius,  a.  d  316. 
On  his  undertaking  to  contend  for  the  empire  with 
Conftantine,  knowing  that  the  chriftians  would 
take  the  part  of  his  rival,  he  hoped,  no  (doubt,  to 
fecure  the  attachment  of  the  heathens  (who  in  the 
time  of  the  late  persecution  much  the  ma- 

jority of  the  iubjech  of  the  empire)  by  ft)e\ving 
himielf  hoftile  to  chriftianity.  He  began  with  ~  *> 
pellfrig  all  chriftians  froni  his  own  family.  In  the 
next  place  he  deprived  them  of  all  the 
henoms  they  had  enjoyed  in  the  cities.  He  then 
connived  to  cut  off  Ceveial  of   the  moie   eminent: 

bops 

*  Fv.itb.  liift.  Lib.  ix-.  Cap,  11,  p,  45g. 


4i2         THEHISTORYOFTHEPer.VX. 

bifhops,  on  other  pretences  than  their  being  chrif- 
tians  ;  and  he  exprefsly  forbade  their  affeoibling  in 
fynods*.  Some  churches  in  Pont  us  he  fhut  up, 
and  others  he  levelled  with  the  ground.,  on  the 
pretence  that  it  was  mcft  favourable  to  health  for 
fuch  crowds  of  people  to  aflemble  in  the  open  air. 
He  more  exprefsly  forbade  any  women  to  frequent 
the  places  of  worfhip,  ordering  that  they  mould 
be  inftructed  by  other  women  at  home.  He  then 
proceeded  to  confifcate  the  goods  of  chriflians  ; 
and  lafliy  threatened  them  with  death.  At  the 
lame  time  he  flricily  lovbade  any  perfons  affording 
the  It-all  relief  or  rffiMance  to  thofe  who  mould  be 
confined  in  prifon,  under  the  penalty  of  being  fub- 
jecl:  to  the  fame  puniftiment  themfelves. 

The  governors  of  provinces,  feeing  the  difpo- 
fition  of  their  mailer,  fubjefted  the  bifheps  to  the 
fame  punifbments  with  thegreatelt  mifcreants,  and 
feme  v,cyq  even  cut  into  finall  pieces,  and  given 
for  food  fo  feed  fi fries.  On  this  the  chriflians  be- 
gan to  flee  once  rAore,  and  as  Eufebius  fays,  the 
fields  and  folitudes,  the  mountains  and  the  forefts, 
received  themf.  Licinius  was  proceeding  to  the 
greatefl  extremities  in  this  perfecuticn,  when  his 
courfe  was  cut  fliort  by  the  viclories  of  Conflan- 
tine  over  him. 

SEC- 
*  Vita  Confl.  Lib.  i,  Cap.  51.  p.  527- 

t  Luftb.  Lift.  Lil  .  x,  Cap,  8,  p.  489,  &c.  Vita  Ccni'L. 

Lib,  i,  Cap.  5ij  5%,  53.  p.  527, Lib.  ii,  Cap.  1,5.  p.  535 


Sec.  IV.   CHRISTIAN  CHURCH.  4i3 


SECTION     IV. 

OJ the  Martyrs  of  Palejline. 


T 


HAT  we  may  be  p.bleto  form  a  clearer 
of  th(  cruelty  and  extent  of  this  perfection,  I 
(hall  give  a  feparate  account  ofthc  martyrs  of  Pa- 
leftine  from  a  particular  tract  of  Eufebius,  fub- 
joined  to  his  eighth  book  of  ecciefiaftical  hiftory. 
The  truth  of  the  fa&s  cannot  be  queflioned,  as  the 
author  was  in  :he  country  at  the  time,  and  wrote 
from  his  own  knowledge. 

The  firft  of  thefe  martyrs  was  Procopius  of 
C«efarea,  who  was  beheaded  on  the  feventh  of  the 
ides  of  June,  in  the  fir  ft  year  of  the  peifecution. 
After  hir.i  many  other  clergy  of  the  fame  province 
fpfFered  with  great  conflancy.  Not  a  few,  how- 
ever, found  their  courage  fail  them.  The  re  ft 
were  tortured  in  various  ways  ;  and  fome  were  lav- 
ed by  the  by- (landers  crying  out,  that  they  had  fa- 
criflced,  though  they  really  had  not.  And  though 
one  of  them  fhout  i  out  that  he  had  not  facrificed, 
he  was  not  allow  d  to  be  h;  ..rd  j  of  fo  great  ac- 
count did  they  make  it  to  indc.ee  ■  rfo  is  to  apof- 
jtatize,  or  make  it  believed  that  th  /   had  done  fo« 


414       THE  HISTORY  OF  THE    Per.  VI, 

In  confequence  of  this,  cut  of  a  confiderable  num- 
ber who  were  accufed  at  one  particular  time,  only 
two,  A'plieus  and  Zaccheus,  differed  ;  but  they 
bore  various  modes  of  torture,  conk  fling  all  the 
while  that  there  was  but  one  God,  and  one  king, 
the  Lord  Jefus  Chrift,  and  were  then  beheaded. 
This  was  on  the  fifteenth  of  the  calends  of  Decem- 
bei*. 

On  the  fame  day  differed  Romanus,  a  deacon 
of  Caefarea,  at  Antioch.  That  was  the  day  on 
which  the  churches  were  demolifhed.  Seeing  the 
people  going  in  crowds  to  facrifice,  he  was  moved 
with  zeal,  and  could  not  forbear  upbraiding  them 
for  their  condudi.  On  this  he  was  feized,  and  be- 
ing threatened  whh  fire,  heard  the  fcntence  with  a 
ferene  and  cheerful  countenance  ;  then  being  tied 
to  the  flake,  and  the  fuel  heaped  about  him,  while 
the  officers  were  waiting  for  the  orders  of  the  em- 
peror, who  was  prefenr,  he  bimfelf  called  for  the 
fire.  This  being  noticed,  he  was  carried  before 
the  emperor,  and  there  his  tongue  was  cut  out, 
himfelf  prefenting  it  for  the  purpofe.  After  this 
he  was  thrown  into  prifon,  where  he  was  cruelly 
tortured  in  the  flocks  and  then  ftranglcd.  This 
was  in  the  firft  year  of  the  perfecution,  which  ex- 
tended to  the  biiheps  and  clergy  onlyt. 

In 

*  Eufeb.  Hifl.  Lib.  viii.  Cap   l,p.  407. 
\  ibid.  liift.  Lib.  \iii,  Cap-  2,  p.  4©9. 


Sec  IV.  CHRISTIAN  CHUHCII.         415 

In  Cfle  fecond  year  the  perfection  extended  to 
prrfons  of  every  defcription,  and  in  this  year  it  was 
that   Timotheus,  having  borne  every  kind  of    tor- 
ture, was  confumed  by  a  flow  fire  at  Gaza,  as  was 
mentioned  before.      At  the  fame  time  A^apius  and 
Thecla  were   fentenccd  to  be    thrown  to  the   wild 
beads,  and  while  the  people  were   exulting  in  the 
idea  of  this  fpe&acle,  fix    young  men,    Timolaus 
of  Pontus,     DionyGus   of    Tripolis,    Romulus,  a 
fub-deacon  of  the  church  of  Diofpolis,  two  Egyp- 
tians, Paucis  and  Alexander,  and  alio  another    A- 
lexander  of  Gaza,   having  firft    caufed    their  own 
binds  to  be  tied,  as  ready  for  martyrdom,  went  all 
together  to  Urbanus,  the  governor,  who  was  then 
going  into  the  amphitheatre,  acknowledging  them- 
felves  to  be  chriftians,  and  fhewing  that  they  were 
not  afraid  of  the  wild   beafls.     The  governor  and 
his  companions,  being  afionifbed  at  this,  ordered 
them  to  prifon.     A  few  days  after,  being  joined  by 
A6apius,  who  had  borne  various  kinds  of  torlure, 
and  by  Dionyfius,  who  had   ftipplied   them   with 
necefTaiies,  they  were  all  beheaded  together  at  Cse- 
farea,the  ninth  of  the  calends  of  April. 

At  this  time  Diocletian  and  Maximian  refign- 
ed  the  empire,  after  which  followed  feveral  \ 
which  terminated  in  the  fettlement  of  the  empire 
under  Conftantine  ;  hut,  in  the  mean  time,  Ivlax- 
itnin  being  advanced  to  the  empire,  and  governing 
in  the  Ea(t,  the  perfecution  raged  with  more  vio- 
lence 


4i6    THE  HISTORY  OF  THE  P£r.  VI. 

lence  than  before  ;  and  when  the  people  were  dif- 
perfed  in  crowds,  and  flying  where  they  could  for 
fafety,  Apphianus,  who  was  not  twenty  years  old, 
and  of  an  opulent  family  of  Berytus,  distinguished 
him  felt  in  an  eminent  manner  by  his  courage  and 
ccr.ftancy.  On  becoming  a  chriftian  he  had  left 
his  relations,  who  continued  heathens,  and  came 
to  Casfarea,  where  he  became  intimately  acquaint- 
ed with  Eufebius,  and  lived  in  the  fame  houfe 
with  him.  This  perfon,  without  communicating 
his  defign  to  any  one,  went  of  his  own  accord  to 
Urbanus,  and  wrould  have  difTuaded  him  from  fa- 
erificingj  but  being  feized  by  the  guards,  and  cru- 
elly beaten,  he  was  thrown  into  pnfon,  and  being 
there  tortured,  he  was  brought  before  the  governor. 
There,  lefufing  to  facrifice,  his  flefh  was  torn  to 
the  very  bones  and  bowels,  and  moreover  fo  bruif- 
ed  by  being  beaten  with  leaden  balls,  that  they 
who  were  the  bed  acquainted  with  him,  could  not 
know  him.  Not  yielding  at  this  torture,  lint  moift- 
ened  with  oil  was  put  round  his  feet,  and  fire  be- 
ing  fet  to  it,  the  flefh  was  burned  to  the  very 
bones.  He  was  then  remanded  to  prifon,  and 
three  days  after  thrown  into  the  Tea.  This  was  on 
the  fourth  of  the  nones  of  April*. 

About  the  fame  time  a  youth  of  the  name  of 
Ulpian,  after  being  cruelly  beaten,  was  put  into  a 
bag,  together  with  a  dog  and  a  ferpent,    and  then 

thrown 

*  Eufcb,  Hill,  Lib.  viii.  Cap,  4,  p.  4I3. 


Sec.  IV.      OURISTTAN    C5UJRCH.       417 

thrown  into  the  fea.  JE  lofi  is,  the  brotaer  of 
A.3phianns,  after  en  luring  vinous  tortures,  was 
condemned  to  the  in  ries  of  Paleltine.  B  it  hav- 
ing by  fo me  means  or  other  got  his  liberty,  he 
went  to  Alexandria  ;  and  there  feeing  the  governor 
infulting  and, abu ting  fome  chriftians  in  a  (hocking 
manner,  he  went  to  him,  and  behaving  much  in 
the  fame  manner  as  his  brother  had  done  before 
him,  he  was  expoleJ  to  various  kinds  of  torture, 
and  then  thrown  into  the  fea*. 

In  the  fourth  year  of  the  perfecution,  on  the 
twelfth  of  the  calends  ot  December,  it  beins  the 
b'rth  day  of  Maximin,  fplendid  games  were  ex- 
hibited in  his  prefeuce;  and  then  Agapius,  who 
was  mentioned  before,  as  having  been  fenCenced 
together  with  Thecla  to  be  thrown  to  the  wild 
beads,  was  brought  before  the  emperor,  along  with 
a  flave  who  was  faid  to  have  murdered  his  mailer. 
This  flave  had  his  life  granted  him,  and  the  cle- 
mency of  the  emperor  was  greatly  extolled  by  the 
mob  ;  but  Agapius,  refufing  his  liberty  on  the  terms 
of  renouncing  his  religion,  was  fird  of  all  thrown 
into  the  way  of  an  enraged  (lie  bear,  which  he  met 
of  his  own  accord  ;  and  then  after  being  torn  by 
her,  before  he  was  quite  dead,  he  was  carried  back 
to  prifon,  and  the  day  following  he  was  thrown  in- 
to the  fea,  with  (tones  fattened  to  his  legst. 

VoL-  h  E  ee  Ia 

*  Eufcb.  Ilia.  Lib.  viii.  Cap.  5,  p.  410, 

t  Ibid.  Cap.  6.  p.  417. 


.41,«       THEHISTORY  OF  THE    Per,  VI. 

In   the  fifth  year  of  the   perfection,  on  the 
fourth  of  the  nones  of  April,  being  Sunday,  Theo- 
dofia,  a  young  woman  of  Tyre,  not  eighteen  years 
old,  being  at  Caefarea,  went  to  fome   perfons  who 
were  then  ackno  pledging  themfelves  to  be  chris- 
tians  in  theprefence  of  the  governor,    probably  to 
afk  their  prayers  after  their  martyrdom,  which  was 
no  uncommon  thing  at  that  time.    Being  noticed, 
and  preferred  to  the  governor,  he  flrft  infulted  her 
in  the  groffefl  manner,  and  then  ordered  her   fides 
•and  breiftsto  be  torn  with  iron  hooks  to  the  very- 
bones  ;  and  while    fhe  yet  breathed,  preferving  a 
ferene  and  placid  countenance,  fne  was  thrown  in- 
to the  fea.     A'ter  this  th^  governor,  turning  to  the 
other  cohfdTors,.  ordered   thern    to  be  fent  to  the 
mines  of  Phseous  in  Paleftme. 

On  the. nones  of  November,  Sylvanus,  then  a 
a  prefbyter,  and  cor/effor,  but  afterwards  a  bi- 
mop,  was  condemned  to  the  &i®e  mines,  the  joints 
of  his  feet  being  firft  difabled  with  hot  irons.  At 
the  fame  time  Domninus  a  perfon  diftinguifhed 
by  many  confefiions,  was  fentehced  to  be  burned 
alive.  The  fame  cruel  governor  ordered  three  to 
fight  as  gladiators,  a  venerable  old  man,  Auxen- 
tius,  to  be  thrown  to  the  wild  beafts,  and  fome  per- 
fons of  middle  age  to  be  fir fl;  caftrated,  and  then 
fent  to  the  mines. 

Others,  after  enduring  cruel  tortures,  the  fame 
governor  threw  into  prifon.  and  among  thefe    was 

the 


Sec.  IV.   CHRISTIAN  CHURCH.  41J 

the  excellent  I\unphilus,  to  whom  Eufebius  was 
fo  much  attached.  The  governor  having  hcai  d  of 
his  charader,  expefted  to  fee  a  fpecimen  of  his 
eloquence  and  philofophy  ;  but  on  his  refr.hn:<  tp 
lacrifice,  he  was  fo  much  enraged,  that  he  ordered 
him  to  be  fubjefted  to  the  greatcft  torture;  and  not 
yielding  to  it,  though  his  (ides  were  torn  with  the' 
iron  hooks,  he  was  thrown  into  prifon  together 
with  the  reft.  Eufebius  obferves,  that  not  long 
after,  this  very  governor,  who  had  been  in  the 
higheft  favour  with  Maximin,  was  publicly  dif- 
graced  by  him,  and  then  condemned  to  lole  his 
head*. 

In  the  fi^th  year  of  the  perfecution,  ninety  fe- 
ven  men,  with  women  and  children,  were  fent  from 
Porphyritcs  in  Egypt  into  Paleltine,  where  Firrm- 
lian,  the  governor  who  had  fucceeded  Urbanus, 
oidered  the  joints  and  finews  of  their  left  feet  to  be 
deftroyed  by  fire,  their  right  eyes  to  be  dug  out, 
and  the  fockets  to  be  burned  with  an  hot  iron. 
Then  he  fent  them  to  the  mines,  together  with 
thofe  who  had  been  condemned  to  ferve  as  gladia- 
tors, but  who  had  refufed  to  learn  their  proper  ex- 
ercifes.  Thefe  had  been  brought  before  M&xkrtlP 
himfelf,  and  after  having  been  tortured  with  hun- 
ger and  icourging,  had  been  condemned  to  this  le- 
ootid  puniihment. 

Afcu 
J  Eufcb.  Kilt.  Lib.  viii.  Cap,  7,  p.  -II C. 


^        THE  HISTORY  OF  THE    Per.  VI. 

After  thefe,  others  who  had  been  apprehended 
at  Gaza,  in  a  meeting  where  the    fcriptttfes    were 
fread,  were  treated  in  the  lame  manner,  with  thofe 
from  Egypt,  with  refpe&to  ih  ir  feet  and  eyes,  and 
fome  had  their  fides  cotti    betides.     Of  thefe  one 
woman,  who  reproached  her  j  idge  tor   threatning 
her  with  violation,  was  fi'ft    fcourged;  and    when 
fhe  was  placed  on  the  engine  of  torture,  and  they 
were  tearing  her  fides  with  the  hooks,  another  wo- 
man exclaimed  agaihfi  tbeii  proceedings,  and  afk- 
ed  how  thev  could  torture  her  fitter  in  that    man- 
ner.  This  fo  provoker  the  judge,  that  he  ordered 
her  to  be  feized,  and  en   her  refilling   to    facrifice, 
fhd  was  intlantly   expofed   to  greater  torture  than 
any  hefore  her ;  and   after  that    both  the    women 
were  buried  together.     One  of  them  was  born  in 
the  neighbourhood  of  Gaza,  and  the  other,  who  was 
called  Valentina,  was  ot  Caeiarea. 

Prcfently  after  followed  the  execution  of  Pau- 
lus,  who  being  indulged  with  leave  to  pray  before 
he  was  beheackd,  prayed  aloud,  firft  for  the  peace 
of  the  whole  chriftian  church,  and  then  for  the  con- 
veifion  of  the  Jews,  the  Samaritans,  and  the  Gen- 
tiles,  ihat  they  might  be  brought  to  the  knowledge 
of  the  true  God.  He  prayed  more  efpecialiy  for 
the  company  pre  fen t,  for  {he  judge  who  had  con- 
demned him,  for  the  emperors,  and  for  his  execu- 
tioners, thai  w  hat  they  were  going  to  do  might  not 
be  imputed  to  them.     All  were  much  affc&ed  by 

this 


Sec.  IV.  CHRISTIAN  CHURCH,        411 

this  prayer,  but  notwithflanding  this,  he  was  be- 
headed according  to  lus  lentence.  This  was  on 
the  eighth  of  the  calends  of  Au-uft.  Prefcntly  af- 
ter one  hundred  and  eighty  more  were  brought 
from  Egypt,  and  being  finl  maimed,  as  the  others 
from  the  fame  country  had  been  before,  in  their 
left  feet  and  right  eyes  were  lent  by  the  orders  of 
Maximin,  Tome  to  the  mines  of  Paleftine,  and  o- 
thers  to  thofe  of  Cilicia*. 

After  this  there  was  a  little  refpite  of  the  perfe- 
cution,  but  it  was  foon  renewed  with  as  much  vio- 
lence as  ever,  frefh  orders  being  given  by  Maxi- 
min  to  all  the  governors  of  provinces,  and  other 
officers,  to  reftore  the  heathen  temples,  and  to 
compel  all  perfons,  men,  women,  flaves,  and  chil- 
dren to  facrifice.  Orders  were  alio  given  that 
every  thing  that  was  fold  in  the  maiket  mould  be 
confecrated  by  libations,  and  that  all  who  came  to 
the  public  baths  fhould  be  compelled  by  the 
/guards  to  peiform  (he  cuftotnary  riles.  This  ap- 
peared extravagant  and  unreafonable  even  to  the 
heathens  themftlves,  fo  that  no  peifon  would  ac- 
cufe  any  of  the  chritlians.  But  they  were  forward, 
as  ufual,  to  declare  themftlves. 

Three  in  particular  went  together  to  the  prefi- 
dent  as  he  was  (acrificing,  entreating  him  to  defift, 
and  to  wotfhip  the  Creator  01  the  world.  On 
this,  finding  that  they  were   christians,  he  ordered 

them 

*  Eufeb,  Hilt.  Lib.  viii.  Cap.  S.  p-  420, 


4*4     THE  HISTORY  OF  THE    Pir.  VI. 

them  to  be  executed,  but  without  previous  torture. 
This  was  on  the  thirteenth  of  the  ides  of  Novem- 
ber. At  the  fame  time  a  young  woman  of  the 
name  of  Emmathas,  being  brought  before  the 
judge,  was  firft  dragged  in  a  cruel  manner  through 
the  city  naked  to  the  waift,  and  beaten  with 
thongs,  after  which  fhe  was  burned  alive.  This 
prefident  Firmilian  forbade  the  burial  of  the  mar- 
tyrs, and  had  them  watched  night  and  day  for  that 
purpofe  ;  fo  that  the  dogs  being  permitted  to  tear 
(hem,  and  drag  them  about,  the  whole  city  was 
full  of  bones  and  entrails,  a  horrid  fpe&aclc  to  eve- 
ry body. 

The  following  month,  on  the  fourteenth  of  the 
calends  of  January,  fome  Egyptians,  who  had 
heen  fent  to  perform  fome  kind  ohicies  to  their 
Countrymen,  who  hsd  been  mutilated,  and  fent  to 
the  mines  of  Cilicia,  were  feized  at  the  gates  of 
Caefarea  ;  and  fome  of  them  were  treated  in  the 
lame  manner  as  thofe  whom  they  came  to  relieve, 
being  lamed  in  one  foot,  and  having  their  right 
eyes  put  out;  but  three  of  them,  being  fent  to  Af- 
calon,  fuffered  in  a  different  manner,  two  ot  them 
being  beheaded  and  one  burned  alive.  On  the 
third  of  the  ices  of  January,  Petrus  Apfelamus, 
being  exhorted  by  his  judges  to  confider  his 
youth,  but  preferving  his  ccnflancy,  was  burned  in 
the  fame  fire  with  Afclepius  a  Maicicnite,  whofe 
zeal,  fays  cur  author  was  not  according  to  know- 
ledge- 


Sic.  VI.      CHRISTIAN  CHURCH.        423 

ledge*.  But  did  not  this  man  dte  for  the  very 
fame  truth  for  which  the  reft  fuffjred,  viz.  as  a 
a  chriftia^,  without  any  regard  io  his  particular  o- 
pinions  with  refpett  to  chrifti  witty?  Such  is  the 
lamentable  prejudice  of  foftie  chndians,  that  thev 
can  allow  no  merit  except  to  thofe  of  their  own 
way  of  thinking. 

Our  author  next  proceeds  to  give  a  more  par- 
ticular account  of  the  fufferings  of  his  dear  Pamphi- 
lus,  a  man  diftinguifhed  by  every  virtue,  his  in- 
difference to  the  world,  his  charity  to  the  poor 
his  attachment  to  philofophy,  and  cfpcciaUy  his 
ftudy  of  the  fcriptures,  to  whofe  life  Eufebius  de- 
voted three  entire  books,  He  then  gives  an  ac- 
count of  his  eleven  companions  in  tribulation,  a- 
mong  whom  was  Valens,  an  old  man,  a  deacon  of 
the  church  of  Jerufalem,  who  greatly  excelled  in 
the  knowledge  of  the  fcriptures,  and  Paulus,  who 
had  been  tortured  before.  When  thefe  three  had 
been  confined  two  years,  they  were  joined  by  five 
Egyptians,  who  had  been  fentto  vjfit  their  breth- 
ren in  Cilicia,  and  like  the  former  had  been  appre- 
hended at  the  gates  of  Caefarea  ;  and  the  next  day, 
which  was  the  fouiteenth  of  the  calends  of  March, 
they  were  bi ought  before  the  judge,  together  with 
Pamphilus  and  his  friends. 

At  fir  ft  the  judge  attempted   to  fhake  the  for- 
titude of  thefe  Egyptians,  by  various  kinds  of  tor- 
ture. 
*  Eufeb«  Hi  ft.  Lib.  vhi.  Cap.  10.  p.  426. 


424     THE  HISTORY  OF  THE  Per*    VI, 

ture  ;  bat  this  having  no   efTeS,  they    were   fen- 
tencedtodie.     Then  Pamphilus   and  his  friends, 
being  afked  whether  they  would  at  length  obey  the 
emperor,  and  refilling  to   do  it,  were   likewife  or- 
dered for  execution.     On  this  one  Porphyrins,  a 
young  man  of  the  family  of  Pamphilus,   cal'ed  out 
ol         crowd,  begging  that  he  migii(t  De  permitted 
to  bu*y  his  mailer.     But  the  judge,  hading  him  to 
be  a  exilian,  ordered  him  to  be    tortured  in  the 
m   ft    excruciating  manner;  and  when  he  expreflf- 
i      no  fenleof  pain,  he  oidered  him  to  be    thrown 
j  ttoa  I  :  je  pile  of  fire  ;  and   thus  he  died  before 
his  m  alter,      The  far.e  of  this  Porphyrius    was  told 
to  Pamphilus   by   one  Seleucus,  a  confeffor,  and 
who  had  been  a  foldier.     This  being  obferved,  he 
alfo  was  earned  to  the  prehdent,  and  by  him  order- 

ed  to  be  executed. 

After  this  Theodulus,  a  venerable  old  man,  of 

the  governor's  own  family,  and  who  had  been  much 
efteemed  by  him  on  account  of  his  faithful  fervices, 
behaving  as  Seieucus  had  done,  his  mailer  was 
more  enraged  at  him  than  at  any  of  the  reft,  fo 
that  he  fentenced  him  to  be  crucified.  The  lad 
of  the  twelve  was  Julianus,  of  Cappadccia,  who 
hearing  of  the  execution  of  thefe  martyrs,  ran  to  fee 
it,  and  feeing  their  bodies  on  the  ground,  he,  out 
of  refpeft,  killed  them.  This  being  obferved,  he 
was  brought  to  Firmilian,  who  oidered  him  to  be 

burned 


Sec.  tV,     CHRISTIAN   CHURCH.      425 

burned  alive,  a  fentence  for  which  he  gave  Cod 
thanks.  The  bodies  of  all  thole  twelve  were  watch- 
ed four  days  and  nights,  that  they  might  be  de- 
voured by  wild  bcafls  ;  but  as  they  lay  all  that 
time  untouched,  they  were  ordered  to  be  buried. 
While  the  cafe  of  thefe  twelve  martyrs  was  much 
talked  of,  Adrian  and  Eubulus,  of  Manganea, 
came  to  Caefarea  to  fee  the  other  confefTors  j  but 
being  there  apprehended,  they  were  fir  ft  tortured, 
and  then  fentenced  to  be  thrown  to  the  wild 
beafls.  Two  days  after  this,  viz.  the  third  of  the 
nones  of  March,  Adrian  was  expofed  to  a 
lion,  and  then  run  through  with  a  fword  ;  and  on 
the  nones  of  March,  Eubulus  was  treated  in  the 
lame  manner.  This  clofes  the  account  of  thofe 
who  fuffered  martyrdom  in  Caefarea  only.  Some, 
time  after,  this  governor  Firmilian  was  himfelf  be- 
headed*. 

Here  our  author  fays  he  might  relate  the  de- 
gradation of  fome  bifhops  and  clergy  to  the  fer- 
vile  offices  of  taking  care  of  the  emperor's  camels 
andhorfes,  &c.  and  the  torturing  of  others  by  the 
governors  of  provinces,  to  make  them  dilcover  the 
treafures  of  their  churches,  and  alfo  fome  things 
of  a  different  nature,  and  left  honourable  to  chrif- 
tians,  efpecislly  their  fhameful  detentions  among 
themfelves  in  the  veiy  time  of  the  perfection,  re- 
ferring to  the  Meletians,  and  the  Donatifts,  of 
Vol.  I.  Fff  whom 

*  Eufcb.  Li\R.  Lib.  viii.  Cap.  li,  p  4£?< 


426     THE  HISTORY  OF  THE  Per.    VI, 

whom  an  account  will  be  given  hereafter  ;  but  he 
apologizes  for  not  entering  into  thefe  particulars*, 
and  proceeds  to  give  an  account  of  the   feventh 
year  of  the  perfecution,  in  which  it  was  greatly  re- 
laxed through  all  Palestine,  there   being    none    to 
accufe  die  chriftians.     A  great  multitude  of  the 
confeifors  having  been  condemned  to  the    copper 
mines  in   that  country,  they    had  been  indulged 
with  great  liberty,  fo  that  they   formed   themfelves 
into  regular  churches.     But  the   emperor,    being 
informed  ci  this  by  the  governor  of  the  province, 
gave  orders  that  they  fbould  be  divided   into  dif- 
ferent companies;  and  in  confequence  of  this  feme 
were  fent  to  Cyprus,  others  to    mount    Libanus, 
and  the  reft  to  different  parts  of  the  country,  to  be 
employed  in  different  works.     But  four    of  the 
mofc  diftinguifhed  among  them  were  feie&ed,  and 
brought  before    the   military    commander  of  the 
place.     Two  of  thefe,  viz.  Peleus  and  Nilus,  had 
been  bifhops  in  Egypt,  the  third,  fuppofed  to  be 
Helias,  was  aprefbyter,  and  the  fourth   Patermu- 
thius,  a  man  eminent    for  his   benevolence.     All 
thele,  refufing  to  renounce  their  religon,  were  con- 
demned to  the  flames. 

Others,  who,  on  account  of  their  age  or  infir- 
mity, were  incapable  of  working,  were  fent  to  Uvz 
in  the  country,  at  a  dtftance  horn  the  reft.     The 
chief  of  thefe  was  Sylvanus,  hifhop   of   Gaza,   fa- 
mous 
*  Eufeb.  Hitt.  Lib.  vhh  Cup.  1  2.  p.  4?4 


Sec.  IV.  CHRISTIAN   CHURCH.         ^7 

mous  for  his  confrftjons  from  the  beginning  of  the 
perfecution  to  the  end  of  it.  There  accompanied 
him  feveral  Egyptians,  and  among  them  one 
I  i,  who  had  a  molt  excellent  memory,  being 
ible  to  lepeat  all  the  fcriptures  by  heart  ;  fo  that 
when  he  was  reciting  memoriter  in  the  public  con* 
gregation,  Eufebius,  who  was  prelent,  thought  that 
he  had  been  reading.  Though  he  had  been  lamed 
and  deprived  of  his  eyes,  he  (till  enjoyed  his  me- 
mory. At  length  thefe  mutulatedand  blind  con- 
feffors,  to  the  number  ot  thirty  eight,  were  by  the 
order  of  Maximin  beheaded  in  one  day  ;  and  this 
clofed  the  perfecution  in  Paleftine,  where  it  had 
raged  eight  years*. 

This  perfecution  was  mod  feverely  felt  in  the 
Eaft,  as  Lybia,  Egypt,  Paleftine,  Syria,  and 
thence  to  Illyricuin.  In  the  Weft  the  chriflians 
were  more  favourably  treated.  Conftantius  con- 
tented himfelf  with  demolishing  their  •  churches, 
and,  in  compliance  with  the  difpofiiionof  his  col- 
leagues, he  could  not  do  lefsf .  According  to  Eu- 
febius, he  did  not  even  do  thisj, 

SEC. 

*  Eufeb.  Hid.  Lib.  viii,  Cap.  IS,  p.  435. 

|  De  Mortibua  Perfecutorum,  Cap.  15,  p.  29. 

J  Hill  Lib.  viii,  Cap.  IS,  n,  390. 


4s>8        THE  HISTORY  OF  THE    Per.  VI. 


SECTION     V. 

Of  font  Martyrdoms,  the  Accounts  of  which,  though 
Ancient,  are  mixed  with  Fable,  viz.  thai  of  J3a- 
niface  ;  and  thofe  of  Tarachus,  Probus,  and  An- 
dronicus. 


N 


OT  WITHSTANDING  the  mixture 
of  fable  in  the  hiflories  of  the  martyrdoms,  which 
I  fhall  relate  in  this  fec~tion,  yet  as  it  can  hardly 
be  doubted  but  that  they  had  a  foundation  in 
truth,  I  do  net  think  it  right  wholly  to  omifc 
them.  But  I  mall  not  trouble  the  reader  with  all 
the  fabulous  circumftances  with  which  they  are 
mixed.  Befides,  it  is  no  Ids  inftruclive  to  us  at 
this  day  to  fee  the  faults  than  the  virtues  of  the 
primitive  chriftians,  and  no  fair  writer  has  any 
motive  to  conceal  them. 

According  to  Eufebius,  and  the  mofl  authen- 
tic hifiorians,  chritlians  foon  laid  an  undue  ilrefs 
upon  martyrdom,  as  if  the  mere  fullering  for 
chriQianity,  independently  of  the  temper  of  mind 
with  which  a  man  had  lived,  or  with  which  he 
died,  would  certainly    recommend  him  to   God, 

and 


Szc.  V.     CHRISTIAN  CHURCH.         42$ 

and  even  give  him  a  rank  aid  influence  in  another 
world  to  which  nothing  elfe  could  raife  men. 
Some  of  the  martyrs  themfelves  had  the  fame 
ideas,  and  were  led  by  them  to  a  very  improper 
conduct  before  their  deaths,  in  their  behaviour  to 
the  magiftrates,  and  in  the  chnrch,  if  they  futviv- 
ed  fuch  fufferings  as  intitled  them  to  the  name  of 
martyrs. 

Chriflianity  is  no  more  anfwerable  for  this, 
than  for  any  other  abufe  of  its  doarines  or  infti- 
tutions.  It  was  propoled  to  perfons  in  all  dates 
of  mind,  and  was  embraced  by  many  whofe  dif- 
cordant  principles  and  ma;::ms  it  could  not  al- 
ways eradicate,  and  therefore  was  held  together 
with  them.  Now,  nothing  had  got  (after  hold  on 
the  minds  of  all  men  at  the  time  of  the  promulga- 
tion of  chriftiarrity,  than  the  notion  of  the  efficacy 
of  certain  aHions,  independently  of  any  temper  of 
mind  with  which  they  were  performed,  to  recom- 
mend them  to  the  favour,  and  to  fecure  the  pro- 
tection, of  the  gods,  thofe  invinble  powers  by  which 
the  world  is  governed.  With  this  view  they  had 
been  ufed  to  do,  and  to  fuffer,  the  mod  extraordi- 
nary things,  and  had  inflicted  upon  tbernfeh 
as  well  as  upon  others,  the  greatelt  cruelties.  We 
fee  in  tie  Faquirs  of  Indeftan,  and  the  tortures 
which  die  people  ot  Mexico  voluntarily  endured, 
that  this  idea  was  r.ot  peculiar  to  the  old  world, 
but  that  it  is  produced  by  the  fame   ignorance  of 

the 


Ago     THE  HISTORY    OFTHE    Per,  VI. 

the  real  caufes  of  things,  and  of  the  nature  of  God, 
at  all  times. 

Thofe,  therefore,  who  make  due  allowance  for 
the  operation  of  foreign  influence  upon  the  human 
mind,  will  not  bcfurprized,  or  offended,  at  a  great 
:r:  ;ture  of  fimilar  fuperftitions  among  chriftians, 
who  had  been  heathens.  They  aicribed  to  the 
water  of  baptifoi  a  virtue  firnilar  to  that  of  the  for- 
mer rites  of  purification,  to  the  Lord's  fupper, 
that  of  their  my ftical  initiations,  and  to  martyrdom 
that  of  thole  feverities  which  the  heathens  had 
fome  times  been  ufed  to  exercife  upon  themfelves. 
Alio,  the  natural  effect  of  having  entertained 
thefe  ideas  of  the  value  of  fuffering,  and  the  high 
rank  it  gave  to  the  fufferers,  would  lead  fome  of  the 
martyrs  to  behave  with  that  contempt  of  pain,  and 
that  infolence  towards  thofewho  inflicted  it,  which 
is  very  unbecoming  chriftians.  There  can  be  no 
true  propriety  of  behaviour  without  juft  fenti- 
ments.  In  all  other  cafes  an  abatement  is  to  be 
made  foru  the  undue  influence  of  fuperftition,  or  fuch 
motives  as  are  foreign  to  true  religion.  On  this 
account  the  heroifm  of  Chrifl  and  that  of  the  early 
martyrs,  is  as  much  fuperior  to  that  of  many  in  the 
later  age.%  as  pure  chriftianity  is  fuperior  to  that 
debated  kind  of  it  which  polfefied  the  minds  of  ma- 
ny of  thofe  who  came  after  them. 

Chriil  aud  the  apoflles  had  no  fuperftition,  that 
is,  they  did  not   connect  the  favour  of  God  with 

any 


Sec.  V.      CHRISTIAN   CHURCH,        jm 

any  thing  befides  a  good  difpofition  of  mind,  an  I 
that  upright  conduct  in  life  which  fprings  from  it; 
and  therefore  they  confidercd  martyrdom  fimply 
as  z.n  ael  of  obedience  to  the  will  of  God,  which 
requires  that,  in  all  events,  we  adhere  to  truth  and 
a  good  confcience,  from  the  perfu  tfion  that,  if  we 
have  not  our  recompence  in  this  world,  we  fhall 
certainly  find  it  another.  They  did  not  teach  men 
to  rufh  upon  perfecution,  but  rather  prudently, 
tho'  with  innocence,  to  avoid  it;  and  PaulexprciT- 
ly  fays,  that  though  he  fhould  give  his  body  to  be 
burned,  it  would  avail  him  nothing  without  chari- 
riiy,  or  a  principle  of  benevolence. 

On  the  contrary,  it  cannot  be  denied  that  fome 
of  the  martyrs  expofed  themfelvcs  to  torture  and 
death,  from  the  idea  that  the  mere  fuffeiing  in  that 
caufe,  would  cancel  all  their  crimes,  and  iniille 
them  to  the  mod  diflinguifhed  place  in  heaven 
for  which  it  is  poflible  that  their  real  difpcfitions 
would  very  little  contribute  to  qualify  them.  How- 
ever, the  fortitude  with  which  they  died  in  this 
caufe  adds  to  the  evidence  of  chriftianity,  as  it  is 
a  proof  of  fuch  a  general  pcrfuafion  concerning  its 
truth,  as  could  never  have  been  produced,  I  do 
not  fay  in  the  minds  of  thofe  particular  men,  but 
in  thofe  of  the  great  body  of  chriftians,  without  a 
real  foundation  in  hiflorical  facl.  Thefe  particu- 
lar men  might  become  chriftians,  and  enter  the  lift 
of  martyrs,    without  being  able  to  give  a   rational 

account 


432       THE  HISTORY  OF  THE   Per,  VI. 

account  of  their  faith  ;  but  if  there  never  had  been 
a  well  grounded  faith  in  it  originally,  their  infuf- 
ficient  faith,  if  it  may  be  fo  called,  could  not  have 
had  anv  exiftence. 

Nor  are  we  to  wonder  at  the  mixture  of  fabulous 
circumftances  in  the  accounts  of  fome  of  the  ancient 
martyrdoms,  even  though  they  were  written  near 
the  time  of  the  tranfaciions.  Many  of  the  chrifti- 
ans  of  that  age,  naturally  enough,  thought  that 
thefe  martyrs  were  as  much  the  object  of  the  divine 
attention,  as  they  were  of  theirs ;  and,  confequent- 
ly,  every  thing  that  appeared  extraordinary  relat- 
ing to  them,  would  be  attributed  to  a  divine  inter- 
pcfition  ;  and  being  often  repeated,  would  foon  be 
fo  magnified,  and  altered,  without  any  intention  to* 
mifreprefent,  or  deceive,  that  an  honefl  hiftorian, 
a  little  tinctured  with  the  fame  fuperftition,  would 
unavoidably  be  what  we  mould  call  credulous, 
and  not  be  able  to  feparate  the  fabulous  circum- 
ftances from  the  real  ones.  And  yet,  notwith- 
ftanding  this  mixture  of  fable,  there  may  be  no 
gieat  difficulty  at  this  day,  when  cur  minds  arc 
free  from  the  fuperftition  which  milled  them,  to 
feparate  the  iabulous  circumftances  in  the  narra- 
tive from  thofe  that  are  authentic,  and  to  perceive 
a  clear  foundation  for  credit  in  the  principal  arti- 
cles, through  all  the  heterogenous  matter  that  has 
beentranfmiited  along  with  them*.  It 

*  I  have  two  editions  of  the  following  hillories,  the 
©ne  in  Latin,  annexed  to  the  hiftory  of  Perpetua  and  Fe- 


Sec.  V.      CHRISTIAN"    CHURCH. 

.It  was  in  the  reign  of  1)  ,    that  Boniface 

of  Rome  (of  whofe  martyrdom  an  account  was  firft 
publifhed  from  a  Litin  MS.  in  the  Vatican  libra- 
ry, and  afterwards  from  the  Greek)  fuffcrcd  at  Tar- 
fus.  Leaving  out  fome  evidently  fabulous  cir~ 
cumftances,  the  (lory  is  as  folio 

While  one  Simplicius  was  exercifmg  great  cru- 
elties againfl  the  chriftians  at  Tarfus,  in  Cili 
there  was  at  Rome  a  woman  of  the  name  of  Aglaes 
of  a  good  family,  and  very  rich.  She  had  lived 
in  criminal  converfation  wiih  Boniface,  who  was 
her  principal  Reward,  a  man  addicted  to  all  vices, 
except  that  he  was  very  compafiionate  and  gene- 
rous ;  fo  that  he  would  feek  out  objects  of  diflrefs, 
that  he  might  relieve  them.  After  fome  time,  A- 
glaes  being  touched  with  remorfe,  reprefented  to 
Boniface  the  enormity  of  their  conduct,  particular- 
ly reminding  him  of  a  future  judgment,  and  that 
then  thofe  peifons  would  be  reckoned  the  friends 
of  Chrifl,  who  mould  minifler  to  the  wants  of  his 
fufFering  fervants.  She  then  directed  him  to  go 
into  the  Eaft,  where  the  perfection  was  mod  vio- 

Vol.  I.  G  g  g  lent, 

licitas,  publilhed  by  Valefius,  in  1G64  ;  and  the  other  in 
Greek,  fubjoined  to  Palladius's  life  of  Chryfoftbm,  by 
Bigottius,  1G30,  both  printed  at  Paris.  '1  he  Lift  con- 
tains alfo  the  abridged  accounts  of  them  by  Simeon 
Metaphraftes.  I  drew  up  the  following  account  from 
the  Latin,  which  came  to  my  ban, Is  firft,  and  a'.ter- 
wards  corrected  it  bv  the   deck. 


434       THE  HISTORY  OF  THE    Per,   VI, 

lent,  and  bring  the  relics  of  fome  of  the  martyrs  ; 
that  by  building  oratories  to  them,  and  (hewing 
them  due  reverence,  (he  might  be  beneficed  by 
their  means  ;  making  no  diftintlion  between  Cer- 
vices dene  to  the  living,  and  trefpe&  paid  to  the 
dead. 

This  office  Boniface  cheerfully  undertook;  fay- 
ing to  his  miftrefs,  if  I  find  any  relics,  I  will  bung 
them  ;  but  if  my  own  body  (bouM  come,  receive 
it  as  fuch,  She,  thinking  that  he  trifled,  bid  him 
leave  off  his  drutikennefs  and  folly,  that  he  might 
be  worthy  to  have  the  cuftody  of  the  holy  relics. 
He  was,  however,  as  ferious  as  his  miftrefs,  and 
prepared  himfelf  for  the  journey  by  prayer  and 
falling. 

When    he  was    arrived    at   Tarfus,   hearing 
that,  at  that  very  time,  feveral  were  fuffering  mar- 
tyrdom in  the  fladium,  or  public  place,  he  bid  the 
Cervants  look  out  for  an  inn,  and  take  care  of  their 
beafts,  while  he  went  where  he  wiihed  to  go.  When 
he  came  to  the  fladium,  where  the  chriftians  were 
fuffering,  he  faw  fome  hanging  with    their  heads 
downwards,  and  fire   under  them,  fome  extended 
on  four  pieces  of  wood,  by  the  feparation  of  which 
by  fcrews,  their  limbs  wrere  flretched;   fome    with 
their  features  defaced,  i'ome  torn  with  hor  ks}  fome 
v;iih   their    hands   cut  off,  and  others    with  their 
hands  tie  J  behind  them,  and  ciuelly  fcourged,  in 

all 


Sic.  V.     CHRISTIAN  CHURCH.  435 

all  twenty  m -n,  while  the  fpcOators  were  Tilled 
with  the  gre  iorrof. 

Boniface,  however,  without  being  terrified  from 
his  purpofe,  went  and  kill-  I  form    ol  i   who 

were  under  torture,  requeuing  that  they  would 
prav  for  him,  that  he  Bright  be  worthy  to  i  their 
aflbejate;  and  then  fitting  down  by  them,  he  ex- 
horted them  to  take  courage,  by  reminding  them 
of  their  approaching  happinefs. 

The  judge,  perceiving  him,  inquired  who  he 
was  who  was  (hewing  that  contempt  of  him  and  of 
the  gods,  and  ordered  him  to  be  brought  before 
him.    Being  asked  who  he  was,  he  .  at  he 

was  a  chriitian,  and  that  by  the  help  oi  Cod  he 
fhould  defpife  him  and  his  tribunal.  On  his  re« 
fufing  to  facrifice,  he  w a  placed  on  the  engine  of 
torture,  and  his  fides  were  torn  till  the  bones  ap- 
peared, while  he  fhewed  no  fenfeof  pain,  and  kept 
his  eyes  directed  towards  his  fellow  fuffcrers. 

After  he  had  borne  this  tc;ture  an  hour,   .    t 
judge  asked  him  if  he  would  facrifice  ;    and  as  he 
per  Med  in  his  refufal.  he  had  reeds  thru  it  uni 
the  nails  of  his  hands,  and  melted  lead  was  ordered 
to  be    ponied    down  his  throat.      The  fpe&ators 
feeing  this,  cried  out,  "  Great  is  the  God   of 
"  chriftias  s,  and  of  thefeholy  maityrs  "  and  n 
ingwnh  one  accord,  they  overturned  the  altai  and 
threw  (tones  at  the  judge,  who  was  glad  to  make 
nis  efcape. 

The 


436         THE  HISTORY  OF  THE    Per.  VI. 

The  next  day  he  again  ordered  Boniface  to  be 
brought  before  him,  and  reproached  him  for  his 
folly  in  putting  his  confidence  in  a  man  who  had 
once  been  crucified.  But  he,  returning  his  re- 
proaches, though  in  a  manner  which  did  not  be- 
come a  chriftian,  faid  that  his  mafler  Jefus 
Chrift  had  borne  all  thefe  things  before  him,  from 
a  defire  that  all  men  might  be  faved.  At  this  the 
judge  was  much  enraged,  and  after  enduring  more 
torture,  and  an  ineffectual  attempt  to  ftifle  him  in 
hot  oil,  Boniface  was  at  length  beheaded.  This 
was  on  the  ides  of  May. 

In  the  mean  time,  the  fervants  of  Boniface  were 
looking  for  him  every  where,  expe£fog  to  find 
Kirn  in  fome  tavern,  or  flew  J  when  they  were  in- 
formed that  fuch  a  perion  as  they  defcribed  had 
flittered: martyrdom  the  day  befoie  in  the  fladium. 
Finding  it  to  be  fo,  and  paying  five  hundred  folidi 
for  the  body,  they  wrapped  it  in  fpices,  and  con- 
veyed it  to  Rome.  Aglaes,  being  informed  of  this, 
met  them  five  ftadia  horn  the  city,  on  the  Latin 
wo  v.  and  there  me  built  an  oratory  to  receive  the 
relics.  After  this  me  renounced  the  world,  ma- 
fcumitted  her  flaves,  anid  gave  her  wealth  to  the 
er  living  thirteen  years  was  buried 
with  B<.  iface. 

I>  thii  narrative  we  fee  fufneient  traces  of 
fttpeiftition  in  the  times  in  which  the  martyrdom 
happened,  tul  more  in  the  writer,   who  probably 

lived 


Sec.  V.      CHRISTIAN    CHURCH. 

lived  in  ahter  pciiod,  though  the  piece  bears  e- 
vident  marks  of  considerable  antiquity,  on  which 
account  I  thought  I  fhould  net  bejufli  in 
overlooking  it. 

0(  limilar  character  and  authority  with  the 
preceding,  is  the  account  of  the  martyrdoms  of 
Tarachus,  Probus,  and  Andronicus,  which  was 
fent  by  the  chriftians  at  Tarfus  where  they  fufFer- 
ed,  to  their  brethren  at  Iconium,  with  a  requeft 
that  it  nvght  be  tranfmittedto  thole  in  Pifidia  and 
Pamphilia,  and  like  the  preceding,  it  w 
cd  firft  from  an  old  Latin  vcrfion,  and  then  rrom 
the  Greek.  That  there  were  fuch  mart]  rsc  ot 
Well  be  doubted  ;  and  if  the  piece  be  no:  a  : 
it  mull  have  been  written  about  the  time  of  the 
event,  which  makes  it  more  difficult  to  account  for 
the  fabulous  circumftances  that  are  in  it. 

It  was  in  the  confulfhip  of  Diocletian  and 
Maximian  the  fecord  time,  on  the  twelfrh  of  the 
calends  of  fune,  that  the  three  perlons  above-men- 
tioned were  brought  before  Numerianus  Maximus, 
prefident  of  Cilicin,  The  firft  of  them  had  been 
a.  {b!clier,  but  had  procured  his  difcharge  upon  his 
eonverfion  to  chriftianity,  which,  i  r  cvS-^s 

cf  t:  .  (hews  that  many   chi     ians    in 

early  ages  considered  the  profeffion  "'no 

arms  as  unbecoming  a  chriftian,  and  that  en  this 
accounf,  though  they  might  net  think  it  absolute- 
ly unlawful,  tbey  declined  it.  Loth  he  (Tarachus) 

and 


438     THE  HISTORY  OF  THE  Per.  VI. 

and  his  two  companions  acknowledged  them- 
felves  to  be  chriflians,  and  refilled  a  J.  the  endea- 
vours of  the  governor,  whether  by  inUteaty  or  tor- 
ture, to  iacrifice  to  the  heathen  gods ;  but,  upon 
the  whole,  I  am  hardly  more  pleaied  with  their 
behaviour  than  with  that  of  the  judge.  He  was 
infoient  and  brutal,  but  he  was  not  anfwered  with 
the  meeknefs  that  became  a  chriftian,  but  with  a 
degree  of  contempt  very  unbecoming  that  char- 
acter. 

They  had  three  hearings,  the  firft  at  Tarfus, 
the  fecond  at  Mopfueftia,  and  the  third  at  Anazar- 
bus;  and  ait  er  enduring  the  moft  dreadful  tortures 
they  were  carried  (for  they  were  not  then  able  to 
walk)  to  the  amphitheatre,  and  thrown  in  the  way 
of  feveral  wild  beafts  ;  and  when  thefe  could  not 
be  made  to  hurt  them,  they  were  beheaded.  Their 
bodies  having  been  purpofely  mixed  with  many  o- 
thers,  were  diligently  fought  for  by  their  brethren, 
and  difcovered,  as  they  pretended,  in  anfwer  to 
their  praycis,  by  a  bright  ilar,  which  came  from 
heaven,  and  relied  upon  each  c(  them,  and 
which  afterwards  conducted  them  to  a  place 
of  fafety.  A;  length  they  were  depofited  in  a 
mountain,  where  the  three  perfons  who  wrote  this 
account,  viz.  Marcion,  Felix,  and  Veru.%  fixed 
their  own  habitation,  determined  to  be  buried 
along  with  them.  The  particulars  of  the  exami- 
nation 


Sec/ V.     CHRISTIAN  CHURCH.        4^9 

nation  before  the  prcfident,  they  fay,  they  had 
from  one  of  the  guards  named  Scbaftus,  who  was 
prefent. 

As  many  chriftians  at  this  period  did  be' 
as  thefc  martyrs  are  faid  to  have  done,  it  may  not 
bearmfs  to  relate  the  particulars  of  the  behaviour 
ot  one  of  them.  In  fome  refpe6ta,  it  was,  no 
doubt,  proper,  and  worthy  of  commendation  ;  and 
when  it  was  improper,  it  may  not  be  the  lefs  in- 
ftruc~hve,  as  a  feature  of  the  times;  and  though 
much  of  it  may  be  fuppofed  to  be  the  langu 
of  the  narrator,  rather  than  that  of  the  thartyr,  it 
will  give  us  an  idea  of  what  was  generally  efteem- 
ed  to  be  proper  and  heroic  behaviour  on  fuch  oc- 
cafions.  It  is  not  my  wifh  to  magnify,  or  in  any 
refpeft  to  difguife,  the  actions  of  chriftians,  but  to 
re  prefent  them  as  they  really  were.  For  this  pur- 
pofe  I  (hall,  without  any  other  reafon  for  a  prefer- 
ence, give  the  examinations  of  Tarachtrs,  who  was 
prefented  firft  ;  and  for  the  fake  of  concifenefs,  I 
fhall  recite  them  in  the  form  of  a  dialogue. 

When  the  prefident  had  taken  his  place,  De- 
metrius the  centurion  faid,  "  There  were  prefent- 
"  ed  to  yourhighnefs  at  Pcmpeiopolis,  by  Eutol- 
"  mius  Palladius,  one  of  your  officers,  fome  ira- 
"  pious  perfons  who  do  not  obey  the  orders  of  the 
'■  emperors,  and  they  are  now  before  your  tribu- 
n  nal."  Tarachus  being  then  produced,  the  pre- 
fident faid, 

P-  What 


440     THE  HISTORY  OF  THE    Per.  VI. 

P.  What  is  thy  name,  for  I  interrogate  thee 
the  firft,  becaufe  thou  art  the  oldefl  ? 

T,  I  am  a  chriftian, 

P.  I  did  not  as  yet  aflc  thee  concerning  that 
impious  appellation.      Tell  me  thy  name. 

T.  I  am  a  chriftian. 

P.  Break  his  jaws,  and  bid  him  anfwer  my 
queftion  properly. 

T.  I  do  tell  you  my  name,  but  if  you  aflc  what 
my  parents  called  me,  it  is  Tarachus,  and  when  I 
was  a  foldier  I  was  called  Victor. 

P.  Of  what  country  art  thou,  Tarachus  ? 

T.  I  am  a  Roman,  but  born  at  Claudiopolis  in 
Syria,  and  becaufe  I  was  a  chriftian  I  renounced 
the  fervice. 

P.  Thou  wert  not  worthy  to  ferve,  thou  wick- 
ed wretch.     But  who  gave  thee  thy  difcharge  ? 

T.  I  applied  to  Polybio  rny  crncer,  and  he 
granted  it  to  me. 

P.  Then  relpefi  thy  old  age.  I  wifh  that  thou 
may  eft  be  one  of  thofe  who  comply  with  the  wifhes 
of  the  emperors,  that  I  may  diilinguilh  thee  by  fome 
honour.  Wherefore  come  and  fucrificc  to  our 
gods,  which  the  emperors  themfelves  worfhip. 

T.  But  I  fey  now,  as  1  did  before,  that  thefe 
gods  were  only  men. 

P.  Sacrifice  to  the  gods,  and  leave  that  fubtlely. 
T.  I    ferve  my   God,    and  facrifke  not  with 

blood 


S*c.  V.         CHRISTIAN   CHURCH.      4ii 

blood,  but  with  a  pure  heart.      For  God  docs   not 
want  fuch  facrifices. 

P.  I  havecompaffi  m  on  thy  old  age,  and  ad- 
vife  thee  to  lay  aQde  all  vanity,  and  lacnficc  to  our 

gods. 

T.  I  do  not  forfake  the  law  of  God. 

P.  Wherefore,  come,  and  facrifi&e. 

T.  I  cannot  be  guilty  of  impiety.  I  faid,  that 
1  honour  the  law  of  God. 

p.  There  is  another  law  befides  that,  thou 
wretch. 

T.  You,  who  are  impious,  worfhip  wood  and 
flone,  the  work  of  men's  hands. 

P.  Give  him  a  blow,  and  tell  him  not  to  be 
foolifh, 

T.  I  do  not  relinquifh  that  folly  which  gives 
rne  falvation. 

P.  I  will  make  thee  ceafe  from  that  folly,  and 
teach  thee  wifdom. 

T.  Do  what  you  pleafe,  you  have  power  over 
my  body. 

P.  Strip  him,  and  beat  him  with  rods  on  the 
ground. 

T.  Now  you  have  made  me  truly  wife,  ftrenth- 

ening  me  with  blows.     I  wifh  to   be  ftrengthened 

more  and  more,  in  the  name   of  God,  and  ot  his 

Chrift. 

P.  Wicked  and  curfed  wretch,  doft  thou  cort- 

Vol.  I.  II  hh  fe& 


442       THE  HISTORY  OF  THE    Per.  VI. 

fefs  that  thou  ferveH  two  Gcds,  and  yet  denied  the 
gods  ? 

T.  I  confefs  him  who  is  truly  God. 
P.  Thou  now  corifeffedft  God  and  Chrift. 
T,  For  he  is  the  vSon  of  God,  the  hope  of  chrif- 
tians.  by  fuffe^ng  for  whom  we  are  faved. 

P.  Lea  ^  ";rSg»     Come  and  facrifice. 

7".  I  do  not  prate,  but  fpeak  the  truth.  I  have 
prayed  in  this  manner  fitfty  l-.cA  five  years,  and  do 
no.  departfrbm  the  truth. 

Demetrius  the  centurion  here  laid,  O  man  fpare 
thyfelr,  and  facrifice  to  the  gods.  Be  perfuaded 
bv  me. 

T.  Stand  off  from  me  with  thy  advice,  thou 
minider  of  Satan. 

P.  Let  him  be  confined  in  prifon,  with  heavy 
iron  chains,  and  bring  in  another. 

The  iecond  examination  of  Tarachus. 
P.  Call  thole   impious   wretches  who  obey  a 
wicked  lav/. 

Demetrius  the  centurion.  Here  they  are, 
P.  Old  age  is  generally  honourable,  becaufe 
it  is  attended  with  good  fenfe.  Wherefore,  if  thou 
had  reflected  with  thyfelf,  Tarachus,  thou  wilt  no 
longer  allele  by  thy  former  refoiuticn.  Come  then, 
and  facniice  to  the  gods  for  the  honour  of  the  em- 
perors, that  I  may  comer  honour  on  thee. 

T.  I  am  a  chrnftian,  and  I  wilh  that  you  and 
the  emperors  themfelfeS  would  abandon  that  ho- 

nour 


Sxc.  V.        CHRISTIAN  CHURCH. 

nour  for  the  true,  that  they  might  i 
and  life  from  the  true  God. 

P.  Si nkc  him  on  the  mouth  •• 
Liu  him  ceafe  from  his  folly. 

X1.  It  I  was  a  fool  I  fbould  be  like  j  ou. 

P.  Thy  teeth  are  already  beaten  out ;  1  ive  pi- 
ty on  thy  felt,  wretch. 

7.  You  will  never  perfuadc  rac.  You  ars  not 
ftronger  than  he  who  makes  me  ftrc 

P.  Believe  me.  It  will  be  better  for  thee  to  fa- 
crifice. 

7".  If  I  thought  it  was  better,  I  would  r.ctfuf- 
fer  this  ufage. 

P.  Stretch  him  on  the  rack,  and  beat  him  with 
freGi  thongs.  Tarachus  making  no  anfwer,  he  faid, 
Strike  him  on  the  mouth,  and  bid  him  anfwer  me. 

T.  My  jaws  are  broken,  how  can  I  anfwer  ? 

P.  And  doft  thou  fill!  refufe  to  comply  ?  Go 
to  the  altar,  and  facrifiee  to  the  gods. 

T.  It  you  make  me  incapabie  of  fgeakirig,  I 
fhall  think  the  fame. 

P.  I  (hall  try  thy  obfiinacy,  thou  accurfed 
wretch. 

r.  Try  what  you  pleafe,  I  fhall  conquer  by 
him  who  ftrejngthens  me,  that  is  m  the  name  ol  my 
God. 

P.  Bring  fire,  and  burn  his  hands. 

T.  I  do  not  fear  thy  temporal  fire;  but  if  I 
comply  iviiii  thee,  I  fhould  feai  eternal  fire. 

P.    Set 


44|      THE   HISTORY  OF  THE     Pir.VI; 

P«  See  now,  thy  hands  are  burned  off.  Ceafc 
from  thy  vanity,  thou  madman,  and  facrifice  to 
the  gods. 

T.  Y  :  r?ak  as  if  I  mould  comply  with  your 
propo'a)  ;  but  I  am  able  to  bear  whatever  may  be 
prepared  for  me. 

feet,    and  then    fufpend  him,  and 
pu!  fire  under    it  ■ 

J.  I  hr        efpifed   thy  fire,    and  do  not  fear 

thy 

P  Now  'houart  fufpended,  confent  and  fa- 
crifice. 

T.  Do  thou  facrifice  as  thou  art  ufed  to  facri- 
fice, to  men.     h  is  not  lawful  for  mc  to  do  it. 

P.  Bring  ftrong  vinegar  and  fait,  and  pour  it 
into  his  noftrils. 

T.  Thy  vinegar  is  pleafant  to  me,  and  thy  fait 
has  no  pungency. 

P.  Mix  mudard  with  the  vinegar,  and  put  it 
into  his  nofe. 

T.  Thy  fervants  have  deceived  thee.  They 
have  given  me  honey  inflead  of  vinegar. 

P.  Againil  the' next  examination,  I  will  think 
of  oiher  tortures,  and  care  thy  folly. 

T.  And  you  will  find  me  prepared  to  bear 
them  all. 

P.  Take  him  down,  bin  j  him  in  iron  chains, 
and  commit  him  to  cuftody. 

At  the  third  examination,  after  more  quefiions 

and 


Sec.V.    christian  church.       44$ 

and  anfwers, in  which  Tarachus,  in  reply  lo  the 
threat^  of  the  j  '    challenges  him  to  do   his 

word,  in  a  manner  more  becoming  a  No: th-  Ame- 
rican Indian,  than  a  bewa*agaip  fuf- 
pe^  -face  bru.  Iioncs,  hot  irons  ap- 
plied to  his  cliv'r  s  re,  cut  off,  his  head 
fhaved,  and  ho  >utuponit.  AUer  this  the 
hot  irons  were  der  hisarmpiLs,  and  during 
the  whole,  he  (pake  as  if  he  tclt  nothing  ;  and  the 
two  others  are  both  re]  d  as  behaving  in  a 
fimiW  manner,  under  different  modes  of  torture. 

i  he  truth  of  the  narrative  in  general  I  do  not 
queftion,  as  there  are  the  moft  authentic  account 
of  forne  chriftians  behaving  in  this  manner,  though 
this  is  probably  exaggerated  ;  but  I  cannot  recite 
the  particulars,  as  Fieury  and  others  qj,  with  ap- 
probation. Our  Saviour  \g\z  no  (itch  example  as 
this.  His  ferilibility  was  as  great  as  his  fortitude, 
and  nothing  dropped  from  him  that  favoured  of 
boafting,  or  ofinfolence. 

SEC- 


446     THE  HISTORY  OP  THE     P«.  VI.' 


SECTION     VI. 

A  general  View  cf  the  Civil  Revolutions  in  the  JEtK* 
fire,  previous  to  the  Settlement  cf  it  under  Cfcfc- 
jlaniine. 


N 


OT  chuiing  to  interrupt  the  account 
of  the  perfecution  with  more  than  was  absolutely 
neceffary  of  the  civil  hijkory  of  the  times>  I  fhall 
give  a  Lmmaiy  view  ot  the  whole  in  this  place; 
and  this  is  the  more  neceffary,  as  in  the  ccnteft 
for  power  among  fo  many  competitors  for  the  em- 
pire as  arofe  prefently  after  the  perfecution  began, 
the  revolutions,  which  had  a  great  influence  with 
refpect  to  it,  were  fo  great  and  rapid,  that  it  is  not 
eafy  to  retain  them  in  memory. 

In  the  fecond  year  of  the  perfecution,  Diocle- 
tian was  feized  with  a  diiorder  which  affected  his 
intellects,  and,  this  together  with  the  management 
of  Galerius,  induced  him  to  abdicate  the  empire*  j 
and  he  prevailed  upon  his  colleague  Maximian 
Herculius  to  do  the  fame.  This  was  on  the  ca- 
lends of  April,  a.  n,  304.     Diocletian  retired  to 

Salona 

*  Eufeb.  Hill.  Lib.  viii,  Cap.  13,  p.  $96.     DeMor- 
tibus  Perfecutorum,  Cap.  0,  p-  17\ 


Sic.  VI.    christian  church.      4i7 

Salona  in  Dalmatia,  and  Maximian  to  Lucania  in 
Italy. 

In  confequcnce  of  thefe  refignations,  ttto    two 
Caefars,  Co  (    K     had  divorced    Helena, 

bv  whom  he  ha- !  Con  ft  an  tine,  and    had   imnicl 
the  dau  ;hti  r  id-law  of  Maxmian)  and   M-.xin. 
Galerius  (who  had  alfo  divorced  his  wile,  m  o* 
to  marry  the  daughter  of  Diocletian)    were    pro- 
claim.d  emperor* ;   and  of  thefe  the  ;ormcr,  toh& 
ctifcontinued    the    perfecution,    governed    in    the 
Weft,  and  the  latter,   who  kept   it  up  with  g\     t 
rigour,  ruled  in  the  Eaft,  a.  d.   306,  Galerius  ap- 
pointed two  Csfars,  Severus    and  Maximin,   his 
lifter's  Tons,  giving  Italy  to  Severus,   and  the  Eaft 
to  Maximin.*     All    this    time   he  detained  Con- 
ftantine,  unwilling  chat  he  fhould  be  Caelar,  But 
the  youug   man  making  his   ekape  to  his  father, 
who  v.  as  then  at  York  in  Britain,  he  was  by  the 
army  faluted  by  the  appellation  of  emperor. 

On  this  Maxentius,  the  fon  cf  Maximian 
Herculius,  caufed  himfelf  to  be  elected  emperor 
at  Rome,  rejecting  fome  propofals  which  had  been 
made  to  him  for  an  accommodation  by  Cofil 
tine.  Galerius  hearing  cf  this  difference,  feftt  Se- 
verus with  an  army  to  Rome  ;  but  Max  cuius,  by 
corrupting  his  iroops,  defeated  him,  and  beheged 
him  in  Ravenna.  In  the  nvidd  of  thefe  diuurban- 
ces,  Maximian  Herculius  Went  to  Rome;  and  hav- 
ing procured  himfelf  to  be    proclaimed  emperor  a 

fecend 


4$     THE  HISTORY  OF  THE      Per.  VI. 

fecoud  time,  joined  his  fori  before  Ravenna  ;  and 
not  being  able  to  force  the  place,  he  deceived  Se- 
verus  by  a  treaty,  and  got  him  aiTaffinated.  After 
this  Galerius  marched  to  Rome,  and  finding  his 
forces  not  fuiHeient  for  the  enterprize,  he  appoint- 
ed Licinius,  an  old  friend  of  his,  to  be  Caefar, 
a.  d.  307. 

In  the  mean  time  old  Maximian,  after  making 
a  vain  attempt  to  fuppiant  his  ion.  refined  the 
empire  once  more,  but  with  a  view  to  perfuade 
Diocletian  to  join  him  in  renaming  ic.  Not  fuo 
ceeding  in  this,  he  went  into  Gaul,  and  joined 
Conftantine,  giving  him  his  daughter  Faufta  in 
marriage.  But  afterwards,  endeavouring  to  fup- 
plant  his  fon  in-law,  as  he  had  before  done  his 
own  fon,  he  vas  beiieged  in  Marfeilles,  and 
being  taken  was  put  to  death. 

a,  n.  310,  Galerius  who  had  before  made  Li- 
en*'us  Ccefar,  gave  him  the  title  of  Auguflus  and 

cror  ;  and  on  this  Maximtn  took  the  fame 
title,  without  confulting  Galerius.  Though 
jMaxenlius  and  Galerius  were  men  cf  fimi- 
lar  difpofi::ons,  both  naturally  cruel,  and  both  of 
them  persecutors  of  the  chrillians,  they  hated  one 
another,  and  the  empire  was  dreadfully  ravaged 
by  the  civil  wars  between  them  ;  and  the  confe- 
quence  of  this  was  a  fevere  famine  at  Rome. 

a.  0.311,  Galerius  was  feized  with  that  dread- 
ful divider  of  which    men- ion  was   made   before, 

pulifhing 


Sec.  VI.     CHRISTIAN    CHURCH,         .U9 

and  which  induced  him  to  join  Coniraminc  in 
publishing;  an  edict  in  favour  ot  the  chriftians  not 
long  bei  ith.     On  (his    event   it   was  a- 

grced  thatC  mftantine  fhould  have  Britain,  Gaul, 
Spain  and  Germany;  Maxcntius,  Italy,  Sicily, 
and  Africa;  Licinius,  Illyricum,  Dacia,  and 
Greece  ;  and  Maximin  all  the  Earl,  and  Egypt. 
lis  partition  of  the  empire,  the  perfccuiion 
of  the  chriftians  ceafed  for  a  fhort  time,  but  it  was 
renewed  by  Licinius  and  Maximin,  in  the  coun- 
tries which  were  under  their  dominion. 

Maxcntius  rendering  himfelf  infupporrable  to 
the  people  at  Rome,  Conftantine  was  invited  to 
come  to  their  afliltance  ;  and  having  in  the  mean 
time  declared  himfelf  a  chriflian,  he  defeated  Max- 
cntius and  his  lieutenants  in  feveral  battles,  in  the 
laftof  which  Maxentius  flying  over  a  bridge  which 
be  laid  over  the  Tiber,  it  broke  down  under  him 
and  the  crowd  of  his  attendants,  and  he  was  drown- 
ed. After  this  vi&ory  Conftantine  publiihed  e- 
di&s  in  favour  of  the  chriftians,  reftonng  to  them 
their  churches  and  goods,  and  excufing  their  mi- 
ni Iters  from  all  civil  functions.  This  was  a.  d. 
312. 

Still  Maximin  and  Licinius  continued  the  per- 
fection. But  a.  d.  313,  Licinius  married  the 
fitter  of  Conftantine,  and  put  a  flop  to  it.  Pre- 
fently  after  this  Diocletian,  who  had  been  invited 
to  attend  the  marriage,  died ;  having  feen  chrifti- 

Vol,  I,  I     i  anity 


45o         THE  HISTORY  OF  THE    Per.  VI. 

anity  in  a  more  flourifhing  ftate  after  the  perfecu- 
tion  than  it  had  ever  enjoyed  before.  Maximin, 
to  whom  the  edict  of  Conftanline  and  Licinius 
in  favour  of  the  chnftians  had  been  fent,  did  not 
chufe  to  refufe  giving  his  fanCtion  to  it  altogether; 
but  having  been  deceived  by  his  priefts,  who  pro* 
mifed  him  a  fuccefsful  war  agiinfl  Licinius,  and 
being  woriled  in  it,  he  flrft  put  them  to  death, 
and  then  publifhed  an  edifl  in  favour  of  the  chrif- 
tians,  refloring  to  them  all  that  had  been  taken 
from  them  during  the  perfecution. 

The  year  following,  a,  d,  314,  Maximin  was 
fe'zed  with  a  diforder  which  occaiioned  the  lofs  of 
his  fight,  and  reduced  him  to  a  skeleton  ;  and  of 
this,  after  languifhing  a  long  time,  full  of  remorfe, 
it  is  faid,  for  his  cruelty  to  the  chriflians,  he  died. 
After  the  death  of  Maximin,  a,  d.  315,  Licinius 
declared  waragainft  Conftantine,  and  not  fuccced- 
ing  they  were  reconciled  again.  The  year  follow- 
ing Licinius  revived  the  perfeeuiion  againft  the 
chriftians  ;  and  quarrelling  again  with  Conflan- 
tine  he  was  defeated  in  feveral  battles,  and  in  a.  d. 
024  was  reduced  to  furrender  at  difcretion.  Out 
of  regard  to  his  filler,  Conftantine  granted  him  his 
life,  and  fixed  ThefTaionica  for  the  place  ot  his  a- 
bode;  but  Licinius  having  recourfe  to  arms  once 
more,  a.  d.  325,  he  w      •  C'.    and 

puL  to  death.  From  this  time  the  whole  Roman 
rmpiie  was  united  under  one  head,  and  that  achrii- 
tian.  SEC- 


Sec.  VII,    CHRISTIAN  CHURCH.         i&] 


SECTION     VII. 

General  Observation*  on  tins  great  Ptrsccutu  i    i 
the  EJecli  of  it. 


w 


£  cannot  'vender  that,  after  fo  1 
and  dreadful  a  perfecution,  in  which  fuch  number-, 
of  chriftians    iuffeied    death    in  extreme   torture 
man)   more  were  maimed  for  life,  more  reduced  to 
great  poverty  and  difiitfs,  and  many  difperfed   in 
diftant  countries,  there  mould  be  great  joy  over  all 
the  chriitian  world.     The  terminations  of  former 
perfections  had  little  in  them  that  refembled  ihis. 
Till  this  time  chriftians   had  never  enjoyed  more 
than  a  fhort   refpite  from  tiouble  ;  the   errperois 
who  had  been  meft  friendly  to  them,  having  been 
heathens,  had  only  connived  at  them.     From  the 
time  of  Nero   there  had  always  been  fome  laws  m 
force  againfl  them  ;    and   in  the  mofl    favourable 
times,  thev  had  been  at  the  mercy  of  the  rcpulace, 
wbofe  clamours  the  moil  refolute  governors  cf  pro- 
vinces, and  fometimestven  the  emperors  thcmfelves, 
had  not  been  able   to   withftand.      Whereas  now, 
they  not  only    found  all  the  laws    by  which  they 
had  been  opprefled  repealed,  but  new  laws  made 
exprefsly  in  their  favour,  Idws  by  which  their  re- 
ligion 


452     THE  HISTORY  OF  THE  Per.  VI. 

ligion  was  both  protected  and  encouraged,  by  an 
emperor  who  was  a  chriftian  as  well  as  themfelves; 
and  what  was  more  than   all  this,    their  numbers 
and  iheir  refpccUbility,  were  fo  much  increafed, 
that  there  was  no  danger  cf  any  emperor  finding  it 
necefsary  to  faci ifice  them  to  the  fecurity  ol  his  powd- 
er. Their  enemies,  deilitute  of  the  aid  of  the  civil 
magi  (Irate,  and  in  Come  meafure  even  of  that  of  the 
populace,  cculd  only  hate  and  envy  them,  without 
being  able  to  give  them  any  material  difturbance* 
Conftantine   had   fought  and  conquered   as  a 
chriftian,  and  confequently  thofe  who  fought  un 
der  him  mull  either  have  been   chriftians,   or  at 
leaf!  have  had  no  objection  to  ferve  him  as  fuch 
fo  that  he  had  nothing  to  fear  from  any   heathen 
competitor,  which  would  certainly  have  been  the 
cafe  if  any  emperor  in  an  earlier  period  had  decla- 
red himfelf  a  chriftian.    This  remarkable  fa£l,  viz. 
that  of  Conftantine  eftablifhing  himfelf  in  the  em- 
piie,  and  reigning  fo  long  as  he  did,    undifturbed 
by  any  heathen  competitor,  is   an    uiianfwerable 
proof  of  the  great    progrefs  that   chrifiianity  had 
made  in  the  Reman  empire;  a  progrefs  made  by 
its  own  evidence  only,  and  in  the  face  of  every  dif- 
ficulty that  could  pcffibly  be  thrown  in  its  way,  in 
the  courfe  of  near  three  hundred  years  before  his 
accefhon.     ii    the  majority  of  the   fubjecis  cf  the 
empire  were  not  profefsed  chriftians  at  the  acceffo 
en  of  Ccr.fi amine,  ibey  Lad  at  leaii  been  brought 

to 


Sec.  VII.  CHRISTIAN    CHURCH.  453 

to  think  fo  well  of  civ  iftianity,  that   thev    !  . 

obj1  61ion  to  its  *he  prevailing  religi 

to  its  beintT  countenanced  by  the  emperor   in  p     - 
ference  to  heathenifm. 

The  ifTue  of  the  war  with  Licinius,  which  wai 
renewed  at  fovcral  periods,  and  before  the  termi- 
nation of  which  the  heathen  fubjee~b  of  the  em- 
pirc  had  time  enough  to  recollecl  ; 
to  recover  from  any  fudden  confirmation  into 
which  they  might  have  been  thrown  by  the  r:\p.d 
fuccefTesof  Conftantine.  w?.s  the  laft  and  moft 
decifive  proof  of  the  great  fuperioriry  of  the  chris- 
tians, or  of  thole  who  were  difpofc  I  to  favour 
chriflianity,  over  the  bigoted  heathens'.  Had  the 
chriflianity  of  Conftantine  given  greal  and 
al  offence,  the  ffcveral  revolts  of   I  i  e  it 

the  moft  favourable  Opportunity  cri  ; 

fo  that -the  ifibe  of   this   war    clearly    j  that 

thefe  who  trifhed  well  to  th 

and  were    zealous  lor   the   con  ..em, 

were    comparatively  fcw,    and   that    the    Re- 
world  in  general  tl  na  chriftian 
emperor. 

I    would   farther  (late  c»1 

things  affords  a    (iron.  .    .nptive  piccJ  oi 

truth  of  chn:;  anity.     The 

every  adv.;:  t'*k  »<9  pen'. 

er  ;  and    i  •  ■  I 

gion,  with  the  heavy  disadvantage  oi  having  a  c    t- 

cified 


454      THE  HISTORY  OF  THE    Per,  VI. 

cified  Jew  for  its  founder.  Chriftianity  had  no 
advantage  from  power,  till  Ly  its  own  evidence 
only,  and  in  oppofition  to  every  kind  of  power, 
it  had  prevailed  fo  much,  as  to  make  it  the  inteiefl 
of  the  ruling  powers  to  eipoufe  it. 

With  refpeel:  to  the  conduct  of  divine  provi- 
dence, I  would  obferve  that  the  fufiPerings  of 
chriftians,  as  well  as  thefe  of  Chnft  himfelf, 
though  fo  great,  and  of  fuch  long  continuance, 
were  necefiary  to  the  firm  eftablifhment  of  chrifti- 
anity ;  and  that  this  was  necefiary  to  the  happinefs 
of  mankind  in  future  agesu  For  to  the  confirma- 
tion of  their  faith  it  was  ahfolutely  neccITary,  that 
no  petfon,  to  the  end  of  time,  ihould  ever  be  able 
to  fay,  that  chriftianity  had  eflablifhtd  itfelf  in  the 
world  by  means  of  power,  of  policy,  or  of  learn- 
ing ;  and  that  its  evidences  had  not  been  rigoroufly 
examined  at  a  time  when  every  means  of  examina- 
tion  were  exiuing,  and  alfo  when  both  its  friends 
2nd  enemies  were  fufficientJy  intcrefted  in  the  ex- 
amination, 

Nov/  the  perfecution  of  chriftians,  from  the 
very  origin  of  their  religion  at  Jerufalem,  in  the 
very  midftcl  its  meft  inveterate  enemies,  and  for 
more  than  two  centuries  after  this,  through  the 
whole  extent  of  the  Reman  empire  (  Le  power  of 
which  over  all  its  fubjecl  by  its  conftitution, 

perhaps  greater  than    any    that  had    ever    cxided 
in  the  world  before,  cr  that  has  ex i fled  even  iincej 

a  period 


Sec.  VII.  CHRISTIAN   CHURCH 


45 


a  period  alio  that  vas  (jly  fion  being  unfavourable 

to  learning  and  inquiry,  n<>\  preventing,  but  evi- 
dently promoting,  the  fpr  ad  of  chriftianity,  is  the 
molt    ••-rv  proof,  that  neither  arguments 

not  force  though!  exerted  to  the  n-moft, 

coul  1  On  theothei  hand,  the 

chriftta  abandoning 

their  religion  or  their  lives,  would  not  certainly 
chufe  rhe  latter  without  *vhc*t  appeared  to  them  to 
be  fufficient  reafon,  and  fuch  as  they  had  not  taken 
up  lightly,  and  without  the  mofl  careful  exami- 
nation. B*caufe  we  do  not  fee  that,  in  any  other 
cafes,  men  deliberately  throw  away  their  lives  ; 
and  efpecially  that  they  fubmit  to  long  continued 
torture,  without  caufe. 

This  was  the  ftate  of  things  between  the  friends 
and  the  enemies  of  chriftianity,  while  the  facls 
were  recent,  capable  or  the  molt  eafy  invefligation 
and  the  witneiTes  were  numerous.  And  that 
they  who  did  enquire  with  a  proper  temper  of 
mind  were  really  fatisfied  with  refpeft  to  thefe  facls, 
is  evident  from  their  continuing  to  profefs  them- 
felvcs  chriftians  notwithstanding  all  the  drfcour- 
agements  they  lay  under,  and  by  their  daily  mak- 
ing converts  of  others.  It  is  of  the  grealeli 
importance  to  obferve,  that  the  things  to  be  exa- 
mined were  pUin fafts,  with  reTpcft  to  which  one 
man's  understanding  is  juft  as  good  as  that  of  any 
other.      Whatever   learning  or   genius   could   do, 

was 


456     THE  HISTORY  OF  THE  Per.  VI. 

was  at  firft  intirely  againft  chriftianity,  becaufe  its 
orig;n  was  wholly  with  the  illiterate;  but  at  length 
the  learned  themfelves,  of  every  clafs,  attached  as 
they  were  to  their  refpcclive  favourite  fyftems, 
were  induced  to  abandon  them,  in  favour  of  a  reli- 
pien  which,  both  on  account  of  its  tenets,  and  of 
its  founder  and  preachers,  they  had  at  firft  held  in 
the  greatefl  contempt, 

A  man  who  can  fay  that,  in  thefe  circumflan- 
ces,  chriftianity  made  its  way  in  the  world,  as  it  is 
known  to  have  dene  before  the  reign  of  Conflan- 
tine,  without  its  being  founded  on  truth,  mull  fay 
that  human  nature  was  not  the  fame  thing  then  that 
it  is  now.  And  the  man  who  can  ferioufly  affert 
this,  will  not  be  much  attended  to  by  other  men. 
He  mud,  in  faft,  believe  infinitely  more  miracles, 
and  of  a  more  ftupendous  nature,  than  the  chrifti- 
an  admits,  and  thefe  both  without  evidence,  and 
without  an  objeft*  He  mull  be  a  believer  in  the 
abfolute  and  proper  infatuation  of  the  greater  part 
oftheiubjeasofthe  Roman  empire  for  the  three 
firft  centuries.  Nothing  Ids  than  this  wiH  account 
for  unqueftionable  facts  upon  this  hypothecs. 

I  mull  obferve  again,  and  enlarge  a  little  upon 
the  obfervation,  that  the  things  to  be  examined 
into  by  the  friends  or  the  enemies  of  chriftianity, 
were  not  truths  of  an  abftraft  or  metaphyseal  na- 
ture, with  refpeft  to  which  any  man,  or  any  num- 
ber of  in:n,  may  form  wrqqg  judgments,  and  be- 
come 


Sec.  VII.     CHRISTIAN     CHURCH.      457 

come  tcnacioufly  attached  to  them,  but  (imply  the 
truth  of  fafts,  which  it  requires  nothing  more  than 
common  fenfe  to  judge  of,  and  likewife  fuch  an 
application  of  common  fenfe  or  underftanding,  as 
all  men  are  continually  cxerciGng,  and  therefore 
with  rcfpecl  to  which  they  arc  the  lead  liable  to 
make  a  mi  (lake,  and  form  a  wrong  jud^meu';. 

What  they  had  to  inquire  into  was  fimply  this, 
whether  Chrift,  with  whom  many  of  them  were 
perfonally  acquainted,  wrought  real  miracles,  whe- 
ther he  rofe  from  the  dead,  and  whether  the  apof- 
tles  and  ethers,  continued  to  work  miracles  in  fup- 
port  of  his  divine  million  afterwards.  With  the 
truth  or  untruth  of  thefe  fa6ls,  the  apoflles  them- 
felves,  and  all  their  cotemporaries,  mull:  either  have 
been  acquainted,  or  might  e2if\\y  have  fatisfied 
themfelves.  They  could  not  therefore  have  been 
impofed  upon  themfelves  with  refpect  to  the  fa£ls, 
nor  can  it  be  imagined  that  the  thoufands  cf  that 
generation  who  fufFered,  and  many  of  whom  died, 
in  the  caufe  of  chriftianify  could  have  any  motive 
(o  impofe  upon  others.  We  do  not  indeed! 
think  it  neceifiry  to  trouble  ourfelves  to  invefti- 
gate  the  caufes  of  thte  febtiments  and  conduct  of 
fingle  pcrlonSj  or  of  a  few  perfons  ;  becaufe  their 
faculties  may  be  deranged,  or  they  may  have  been 
fubjecled  to  fuch  particular  influences  as  cannct 
poiTibly  be  known,  except  perhaps  to  thofe  who 
have  attended  them  from  their  infancy,  and  have 
Vol.  I.  Kkk  been 


458       THE  HISTORY  OF  THE     Per.  VI. 

been  acquainted  with  their  whole  hi  (lory.  But  this 
can  never  be  faid  of  io  many  per  Tons,  o:  all  des- 
criptions, as  are  well  known  ti  have  embraced  ch  f- 
tianity  in  the  very  age  of  the  apoftlcs,  except 
by  pei Ions  «  hofe  6wH  minds  are  deranged,  and 
therefore  whofe  cbjeeTtons  it  is  to  no  purpofe  to 
con'fider,  or  r?p1 v  to. 

But  fttppdMg  the  thoufands  and  tens  of-thou- 
fanacls  who  embraced  chriftianity  in  the  age  of  the 
ap'oftles,  to  'hive  inated,  lb  as  to 

believe  that  they  actually  few  and  heard  £bii 
that  had  no  exigence,  the  next  generation  had  iuf- 
ficient  leifure,  and  fufficierit  opportunity,  to  inquire 
into  ihe  fac'is,  and  tl -is  moil  extraordinary  one,  of 
the  infatuation  of  their  predecessors,  among  the 
reft  ;  and  they  were  fufxiciently  h  _  ed  fo  to  do, 
when,  tf  they  embraced  chriiiianity,  they  had  no- 
thing  before  I  -  out  the  fate  of  preceding  chrif- 
tians.  Yet  we  fee  the  inquiries  that  were  made  in 
the  fecond  generation,  and  a'l  the  fuccee&ifi'g 
ones  after  i!ie  apdfttes,  coi  added   to   the 

number  of  chritiians,  who  kept  uniformly  increaf- 
ing,  among  the  learned  and  unlearned.,  tfie  high 
and  the  low,  the  rich  and  the  poor,  till,  notwith- 
flanding  all  their  hardfhips,  they,  or  their  friends, 
became  the  more  pc  ,1  part  of  the  Roman  em- 

pire. 

To  fuppofe   that  chridianity  could   have  pro- 
pagated itfelf  in   this   manner   without    its   being 

founded 


founded  in  truth   U  to  fu  [ 

fore 

to,  I  iii.nl' jn  it  agi 

lore  extraordinaJ  I  by 

.    in*;    miracles  of  which  no  < 
given,  and  for  which  no  i  an  be  aflijned. 

Fur  it  mud  fee  fu]  d  that  al] 

s  to  chriflianity  in 
that    they   had    heard  y   never 

had  heard  or  feen,   or  that  theyliad  ioquii 
the  truth  of  recent  Ja&s,   when  -no 

inquiry  at  all,  and  that  they   facrificed  th. 
their  liberty,  their  : 

their  lives,  for  a  mere   fancy,   an   illiifion  or 
brain.     Their  i  :  therefore  have  been 

der  a  proper  and  miraculous  infatuation,  and  for 
no  purpofe  hut  to  fubjeel  them  to  the  mod  griev- 
ous (  igs,  and  to  delude  mankind  in  all  fu- 
ture ages. 

Now,  between  this  ftrange  and  incredible  fup- 

pontion,   and    the    truth   of    :he    gofpel    hiflory, 

there  is  no  medium.      Admitting  the  facls  which 

are  related  by  the  evangeitfts,   and    the  author  of 

the  Acls  of   the    Appftles,   every    thing     that  has 

followed  to  the  prejent  times  is  eafy  and    natural. 

converfion  of    the    fir  (I  chriflians,    obftinate 

•ftantas  they  many  of  t       1  w< 

.    toerfioa  oi   others  by   them,  and  alt  the  fubiequent 

events,  have  an   adrqu.       eaufe,  fo  that  without 

f 


46o      THE  HISTORY  OF  THE     Per.  VI. 

fuppofing  any  farther  miracles,  all  things  have 
come  by  a  regular  progrefs,  each  ftep  of  which  is 
oerfe&fy  intelligible,  to  the  ftate  in  which  we  fee 
them  to  be  at  prefcnt.  Bat  on  no  other  hypothefis 
can  prefciit  appearances,  what  we  ourfelves  now 
fee,  be  accounted  for.  On  the  other  luppofition 
(which,  if  they  refleQ:  at  all,  mud  be  that  of  all  un- 
believers) we  fee  the  moft  wonderful  change  in 
the  hillory  of  the  world,  a  revolution  in  the  minds 
of  men,  of  all  nations,  and  all  defcriptions,  pro- 
duced by  fupernatura!  delulion  ;  that  is,  a  great 
effeft  without  any  caufe,  that  a  man  in  his  fober 
fenfes  would  think  of  alleging  for  it. 


SECTION     VIII. 

Of  the   Melctians  and  the  Dcmctijls, 


w 


I  Til  I N  the  period  of  which  I  am  now 
treating,  arofe  the  different  (efts  of  the  Melitians, 
Donatifts,  and  Manicbaeans ;  the  fir  ft  cf  frnall 
corifequence,  but  the  two  ethers  very  conCdera. 
ble,  both  for  extent  and  duration,  and  especially 
thelaft  of  them. 

Meletiu*  was  a  bifhop  of  L)  copolis  in  Egypt, 
v.  ho  was  (aid  to  have  beer  cepofed  ior  various  cau- 
fes,  but  efpecially  for  having  denied  the  faith,  and 
faciificirg,  in  time  of  perfecuiion,  hy  a  council,  in 

which 


Sec,  VIII.  CHRISTIAN  CHURCH.      461 

which  Peter,  bifhop  of  Alexandria,  prcfided*. 
Mektiut,  however,  thought  that  he  had  reafon  to 
complain  of  the  proceedings  againft  him  ;  and  li..- 
ing  many  iiiends,  he  continued  to  act  as  bifhop 
in  defiance  of  the  council.  He  even  faid  that  he 
had  been  depofed,  not  tor  apoftacy,  but  merely  on 
account  of  a  difference  of  opinion  between  himieif 
and  Peter,  on  the  fubjeft  of  receiving  apoflates, 
and  thought  that  Peter  was  too  eafy  in  this  refpeft. 
As  there  can  be  no  doubt  of  his  having  alleged 
this  in  his  own  defence,  it  is  in  the  higheft  degree 
improbable  that  he  himfelt  fhould  ever  have  been 
an  apoftate;  and  it  muft  be  obferved.  that  we  have 
no  account  of  the  Meletians,  but  what  we  can  col- 
lect from  the  writings  of  their  bitter  adverfai!  . 
This  fchifm  commenced  a.  d.  301.  Afterwards 
Meletius,  continuing  in  eppofition  to  the  bifhops 
of  Alexandria,  took  the  part  of  Alius  ;  arid  not- 
withRaridin^  t!»e  inter  pod  tion  of  the  council  of 
Nice,  the  feci  of  the  Meletians  continued  ti::  the 
fifth  century,  and  they  were  Aria^s  to  the  Lit. 

Theoiigin  of  the  Donaiijh  was  very  hrnilar  to 
that  of  the  Meleti;  .   the; 

in  the  church  was  1  vXtcnfive,  ; 

the  greateft  part  oi  . 

letians   t  :d   no    fa  ppt.      I 

the  deatl  hop  oi  ( 

bably  a.  d.  306,  th(  ibouring    >i(ho] 

*  Sacratesj  Lib.  1-  Cap.  yii.  p?  U- 


4Ss         TK£  HISTORY  OF  THE    Phr.VL 

cm  calling  in  rhofe  of  N'lmidii,  who  had  been 
u?ed  to  arffift  on  tfi  fcTc^'i'ms,  chofe  Caectiianus*- 
a  deacon  ( »f  the  r  ireh,  and  he  was  ordaiu-d  by 
Feli:.  bifhop  of  Aptungus.  Bnt  two  of  the  pref- 
byters  of  the  lame  church,  Botrus  and  Celefius, 
are  laid  tb  hare  been  difpleafed  at  this  preference 
given  to  themfelves,  who  were  of  a  fuoerior  order  ; 
and  the  new  bifhop  having  given  offence  to  a  wo- 
maa  of  fortune,  named  Lucilla,  by  reproving  her 
for  her  fuperftition,  in  killing  the  bones  of  fome 
fappofed  martyrs  before  (he  received  the  comma- 
nion,  flie  joined  them  in  forming  a  party  again  ft 
him  ;  and  a  fynod  being  called,  at  which  the  Nu- 
midian  bfhops  were  prefent,  Caecilianus  wai  de- 
pofed.  a»  A  Majorinus,  a  reader  in  the  chir  ch}  and 
a  domefuc  of  Lucilla,  was  ordained  bifhop  in  his 
place.  It  was  alleged  agahrft  Cceciiianus  that  he 
had  not  given  the  affiftante  which  he  ought  to 
have  done  to  thofe  who  had  fuiTaed  in  the 
late  peifecution,  and  that  Felix,  who  had  or- 
dained him,  was  a  traditor,  or  ere  who  had  given 
up  the  facred  boohs  when  they  weir  r.rranded  in 
order  to  be  burned,  which  was  deemed  to  be  a 
heinotts  offence,  of  the  fame  nature  with  apefiacy 
itfelr. 

The  party  oi    I  f<  .joined  by 

foiue  perfons  who  hi 

veffels  of  (he  cl  een  concealed  in 

the  time  of  perfc    .      ...     And  the  leportr,  true  or 

falfe, 


Sac.  VIII.  CHRISTIAN   CHURCH.     463 

falfe,  that  Crcci  lianas  was  a  favourer  or  the  tr 
ton,  induced  many  to  join  the  oppoiite  party,  and 
among  the!  I  molt  all  the  bifhops  of    Mau- 

ritania.   M  roon  dying,  aad  being  fucrccd- 

ed  b.   D  n  1  us,  a  man  of  learnin  5  and   eloquence, 
»y   his   followers,  his   name 
was  n'ven  to  the  whole  feel,  as  was  that  of  Soci- 
nn  as   A   later  ages.     This  account   of 

the  the  nam  •  is  much  m  :>re  probable  than 

that  jof  its  b  >tn  anoth-r  Donatus,  a 

bifhop of  Numidia,  but   no  ways   eminent,  who, 
along  with  others,  took  the  part  of  Majorinus. 

The  Donatifts  thought  it  was  a  (ufficient  rea- 
fon  :  t  ir  feparation,  that  Caecilianus  had  not 
been  regularly  ordained;  faying,  that  the  part 
which  the  traditors  had  in  his  ordination  vitiated 
that  proceeding,  and  all  that  followed  upon  it. 
They  agreed  with  the  Notations,  in  pretending  to 
great  purity,  but  on  a  very  different  principle  ; 
the  purity  of  the  Novatians  confiding  in  their 
churches  being  free  from  impure  members,  but 
that  of  the  Donatifts  in  their  not  partaking  of  the 
impurity  which  was  fuppofed  to  have  been  d 
ved  from  the  ordination  of  an  impure  per  ton, 
which,  in  their  idea,  affected  all  the  church 
held  communion  with  them.  Confequently,  they 
confidered  all  their  administrations  as  invalid,  ib 
that  baptifm  adminiftercd  by  thern  was,  in  reality, 
no  baptifm  at  all.  The  Donatifts  by  no  means 
\  acted 


4Si     THE  HISTORY  OF  THE     Per.  VI. 

r.&ed  upon  the  great  principle  of  the  Ncvatians, 
in  refuting  to  admit  penitents,  nor  did  they  con- 
demn fecond  marriages. 

The  Donatifls  are  fornetimes  charged  with  be- 
ing unitarians  ;  but  it  does  not  appear  that  they 
were  any  more  fo  (ban  the  Montanifts,  who  are 
like ;v',fe  charged  with  it.  The  original  difference 
between  them  and  the  Catholics  had  nothing  to 
do  with  any  particular  opinion  concerning  the 
perfonof  Chrift  ;  but  many  of  the  Donatifls,  per- 
haps Donatus  himfelf,  as  well  as  many  of  the  Mon- 
tanifts,  were,  no  doubt,  unitarians  ;  and  this  doc- 
trine being  deemed  heretical,  it  was  fornetimes  af- 
cribed  to  the  whole  body  by  way  of  reproach. 

From  the  acknowledgment  of  Auftin,  the  great 
oppofer  of  the  Donatifls,  it  is  evident  that  they  were 
not,  in  general,  deficient  in  any  article  of  what  was 
deemed  to  be  orthodox  faith.  "  Every  thing/'  he 
fays,  "  may  be  had  without  the  church,  except 
"  falvation,  They  may  have  tie  fecfatrients, 
"  and  the  gofpel.  They  may  have  faith,  and 
"  preach  in  the  name  of  the  Father,  the  Son, 
"  and  the  Holy  Spirit;  but  they  cannot  have  falva* 
"  lion,  except  in  the  catholic  church*."  Whoever," 
he  fays,  M  is  feparated  from  the  catholic  church. 
tl  though  he  may  think  he  lives  well  (laudabilter) 
"  yet  for  this  crime  only,  that  he  is  feparated  from 
'•  th^  unity  of  Chrifl.  he  cannot  have  life,  but  the 

wrath 

*  Super  Geftis  cum  Emerito,  Opera,  Vol*  vii,  p.  63. t. 


Sec.  VII.  ClRISTIAM    CHURCH.  46*5 

"wrath  of  God  abideth  on  himf."  It  is  barely 
credible,  that  fo  great  a  Aran,  4a  Auflin  f fl  many 
refpech  was,  fhonld  avow  a  fentrment  fa  and 
blc,  and  fo  mifcrably  mi  {interpret  the  fcriptu  I 
to  forppdrt  it.  Bat  it  is  the  duty  of  an  hiftorian 
to  exhibit  every  thing  that  is  inftriictivc ;  vices  as 
wtil  as  virtues,  the  wcaknefs  as  well  as  the 
ftfehgth    ol  the  human  undei  (landing. 

The  Donatifts  were  a  f  body  bfchriffi- 

ans  for  three  centuries,  and  in  almoft  every  fcity  in 
Africa  there  was  one  bifhop  of  this  fed,  and  ano- 
ther of  the  catholics.  All  this  would  have  had  no 
ferious  confequer.ee,  if  the  jurifdiction  of  one  bi- 
fhop, or  a  fet  of  bifhops,  founded  upon  the  idea  of 
the  importance  of  the  unity  of  the  church,  had 
not  been  in  a  great  meafure,  eflablifhed  at  this 
time.  But  in  this  age  a  bifhop,  who  had  not 
been  ordained  by  the  neighbouring  bifhops.  and 
according  to  the  ufual  forms,  was  deemed  to  be 
a  fchifmatic  ;  and,  as  if  he  had  been  a  heretic,  he 
was  excommunicated  by  thofe  who  difapproved 
of  his  election.  And  thofe  who  took  upon  them 
to  promote  this  fuppofed  neceflary  unity  of  the 
church,  left  no  means  untried,  even  that  of  force, 
where  it  could  be  applied,  to  heal  what  they  took 
to  be  a  breach  in  it. 

Vol.   I.  L  1  1  (Jnfor- 

*  Epift.  152.  Opera,  Vol.  ii,  p.  G9G. 


a&6     THE  HISTORY  OF  THE  Per.  VL 

Unfortunately,  there  is  not  extant  any  writing 
of  the  Donatifts,  and  we  mull  never  expect  an  im- 
partial account  of  any  feet  of  men  from  their  pro* 
felled  enemies.  We  have,  however,  an  account 
of  a  public  conference  between  the  Donanfts  and 
the  catholics,  in  the  reigns  of  Honorius  and  The-* 
odofius,  of  which  an  account  will  be  given  in  its 
pioper  place.  Again  ft  the  Donatiftswe  have  fe- 
veral  trads  of  Auftin,and  a  large  treatife  in  feven 
boob,  addreffed  to  Parmenianus,  by  Optatus* 
bifliop  of  Milevi. 


SECTION     IX. 

Of  the  Manickzans. 

HP 

X  HE  feci  of  the  Mamchaeans  was  of  a 
much  more  ferious  nature,  and  had  more  lading 
confequenccs,  then  that  cf  the  Donalifls.  The 
founder  of  it  was  one  ManiM  as  he  is  called  in  the 
Eaft,  Manes  by  the  Greek  writers,  and  commonly 
Mamchceus  by  the  Latins.     The  account  that  Eu- 

febius 


Sic.  IX.    CHRISTIAN  CHURCH.        ^ 

febius  gives  of  this  perfon*,  is  fo  manifeftly  a 
mere  inve&ive,  and  fo  Full  oi  abfurdity,  th  it  I  (hall 
i        inferi  it,  in  Dr.  L  i   tranflation  in  I 

notes  t.     It  may  ferve,   however,  as   a  fpecim 
of  ihc  manner  in  which    this    writer  and  othei  , 
commonly  treated  tl    I        rfons  whom  they  confi  i 
tiered  as  heretics,    and  may  fhew  us  how  hulc  w« 
can  depend  upon  their  accounts,  when  there  are 
no  fads  or  circum fiances,   by  t^c  help  of  which 
we  may  be  able  <o  correal   (hem.     The  larger  ac- 
count oi  Socrates^,  befides  being  equally  an  invec- 
tive, 
*  Eufeb.  Hill.  Lib.  vii,  Cap.  51,  p.  365. 
|  "  About  the  fame  time  that  madman,  fitly  named 
«  Manes,  formed  the  wild  herefy  called  after  his  name, 
«*  being  fet  up  for  the  ruin  of  many  by   Satan,  the  ad- 
<«  verfaryof  God.     Thisperfon  was  a  barbarian  in  ev- 
"  cry  refpeft,  both  in  his  fpeech   and   in  his   manners. 
l<  As  for     is  difpofition,  it  was  diabolical   and  furious, 
«<  for  he  made  an   appearance  of  being  Chrid  himfelf. 
«'  Sometimes  he  gave  out  that  lit-  was    the  comforter, 
<- and   the    Holy    GhoftV       To    madnefs     he     added 
*<  excemve  pride,  and  as  if  he  had  been  Chrift,  he  chofe 
"  twelve  to  be  companions  with  him  in  his  innovation. 
"  Mis  fcheme  was  patched  up  of  many  falfe  and    inv- 
«'  pious  herefies  long   fince    extinct.     This   venemous 
"  principle  was  brought   into    cur  world,  the    Roman 
"empire,  from    Perfia.     From  that  time  the  impious 
«  do&nne   of  the    Manichaeans    has    infecu  d    many. 
"  Such  was  the  1  ife    of   that    feience  faldy  fo   called •" 
Credibility,  Vol-  v\  p.  17.  Works,  VoLpii.p,  ^75. 
J  Lib.  i.  Cap.  2,2  p.  54. 


468     THE  HISTORY  OF  THE     Per.  VI. 

tive,  has  fo  much  the  ai  r  of  fable,  that  I  fhall 
neglecl  it  altogether,  and  consent  myfelf  with  giv- 
ing a  fummary  of  the  more  temperate  and  proba- 
ble accounts  of  this  extraordinary  man  by  Beaufo- 
bre  and  Lardner,  without  entering  into  the  dif- 
cjflion  of  any  particulars. 

According  to  thefe  wrirers,  Mani  was  a  perfon 
born  in  the  dominions  of  the  king  of  Peiiia,  rich, 
learned,  educated  among  philofophers,  and  one 
who  attended  the  Perfian  court  at  an  early  age. 
He  became  a  convert  to  chriftianity,  and  openly 
profeffed  and  taught  it.  At  what  time  he  appear- 
ed as  a  public  teacher  in  his  native  country  is  un- 
certain, but  his  doJirines  fpread  into  the  Roman 
empire  about  the  end  of  the  third,  or  the  beginning 
of  the  fourth  century.  His  principles  were  con- 
tained in  books  written  by  himfelf,  but  generally 
ascribed  to  Buddas,  Addas,  or  Adimantus.  One 
of  them  was  intitled  Myjierics,  another  Chapters, 
ox  Heads,  and  another  the  Gojpd.  He  alfo  wrote 
many  epiftJes  ;  and  after  fpending  his  whole  life  in 
teaching  what  he  thought  to  be  genuine  chriftiani- 
ty, it  is  probable  that  he  died  a  martyr  to  his  pro- 
le iD  on. 

The  doctiine  of  Mani  was,  in  many  refpe&s, 
the  fame  with  that  of  the  Gnoftics  who  preceded 
him  ;  only,  inftead  of  fuppofing  evil  to  have  ari- 
ieri  ultimately  from  fubordinate  and  inferior  be- 
ings, the  offspring  of  the  Sup! err e  Being,  he  held 

the 


Sec.  IX.     CHRISTIAN    CHURCH.        469 

the  dotlrine  of  two  original  independent  p»i  nci- 
ples,  the  one  immaterial  and  fupremely  good,  the 
other  material,  and  the  fource  of  all  evil;  but  ac- 
tuated by  a  foul,  or  fomething  of 'the  nature  ol  in- 
telligence, the  origin  of  which  he  does  not  appe  ir 
to  have  cfearly  explained.  The  former  oi 
principles  he  ufually  termed  light,  the  latter  daik- 
nefs. 

This  world,  which  contains  a  mixture  of  g 
and  evil,  Mani  fuppofed  to  have  had  its  origin  irom 
an  attempt  that  was  made  upon  the  kingdom  of 
light  by  the  kingdom  ,  darkneft.  The  Supreme 
Being,  feeing  this  invafion,  detached  from  himfcli: 
a  power  which  formed  man,  invefting  him  with  the 
five  elements.     But  the  prince  c'  s   over- 

powered him,  and  feized  upon  the  foul,  or  p 
on  of  light,  that  was  in  him.  On  this  event  the 
Supreme  Being  feur  a  living  fpirit,  which  refcued 
a  portion  ot  this  light,  and  out  pi  it  formed  the  fun, 
moon,  and  liars,  and  then  tl  rti  iio;n  mater.  In 
other  ?/oids,  fays  Be  3,  ths  foul  is  a  celeflial 

fubflance,  which  God  tl  n  hi  El  to  mix  with  ma- 
ter for  the  making  ot  the  world,  and  th'.:\  was  oc- 
cafioned  by  fome  t  ze  o!  the  material  prin- 

ciple, winch  God  forefaw,  hut  did  not  think  pro- 
per to  prevent  ;  and  he  created  the  fun,  moon, 
and  ilars,  out  or  thofc  portions  of  light,  which,  thoJ 
they  had  bee ed  with  the  darknefs,  had  pre- 
ferred their  original  purity. 

Mani 


^7o      THE  HISTORY  OF  THE    Per.  VI. 

I  ni  afcribed  the  formation  of  the  body  of 
*nan  to  the  deviJ,  and  fuppofed  that  as,  in  the  gen- 
eral fyftem  itfelf,  there  were  two  principles,  there 
were  in  man  two  fouls,  the  brie  the  fource  of  good 
purpofes,  and  the  other  of  evil  ones.  Adam,  the 
Manichseans  frid,  bad  much  light  and  little  dark- 
le s,  .md  therefore  he  lived  holily  a  confiderable 
time ;  but  the  adverfc  part  prevailing,  he  had  corn- 
met  ce  with  his  wife,  and  fo  fell. 

Man  having  fallen,  they  fa  id  that  God  fent  a 
Saviour  like  himfelf,  or  of  the  fame  fub  fiance  with 
himfelf,  and  therefore  properly  called  God,  and  that 
he  was  man  only  in  appearance  ;  that  he  had  no 
birth  at  all,  not  even  a  miraculous  one,  nor  any 
baptifm,  and  only  feemed  to  die.  Such  was 
their  opinion  of  Cl?rtft.  They  alfo  believed  that 
ihe  Holy  Spirit  was  another  emanation  from  the 
Supreme  Being,  but  inferior  to  him, 

The  office  of  Chrift,  the  Manichasaris  faid,  was 
to  conduct  fouls  back  again  to  the  kingdom  of 
God,  or  of  light,  from  which  they  Originally  came; 
but  that  fince  his  afcenlion,  he  dwells  in  the  fun  by 
his  power,  and  in  the  mccn  by  his  wifdem,  as  the 
Holy  Spirit  refides  upon  earth.  They  therefore, 
when  they  prayed,  bowed  towards  the  dm  in  the 
day  time,  and  towards  the  moon  in  the  night. 
They  believed  in  a  future  judgment,  but  probably 
not  in  the  eternity  of  hell  torments  ;  and,  indeed, 
believing  the  dcclrine  o(  tranfmigration,  and  al- 
lowing 


Sec.  IX.     CHRISTIAN   CHURCH;        A?t 

lowing  to  each  foul  five  bodies,  and  conftquemly 
as  many  different  dates  ct  trial,  they  could  not 
well  fupoofe  that  many  would  be  finally  loft, 
though  they  fuppofed  that  God  ha  1  prepared  an 
eternal  prifon  tor  the  manfions  of  pure  darknefs. 

The  public  worfhir>  ot  the  Manichasans  was 
very  Gmple,  They  read  the  icripturcs,  th<  y  I  «ap- 
tizedj  even  infants, in  the  name  o!  the  Father,  the 
Son  and  the  Holy  Ghoft,  an!  partook  o1  the 
Lord's  'upper.  They  obferved  the  Lord's  clay, 
bin  failed  upon  it.  They  likewife  celebrated 
Eafter,  and  had  a  regular  church  difcipline  and 
cenfures.  They  i ejected  the  books  of  the  Old 
Teftament,  but  not  thofe  of  the  New,  excepting 
fome  parts,  as  thofe  which  relate  to  Chrift's  birth, 
circumciuon,  baptifm.&c.  and  they  paid  great  ref- 
pe&  to  certain  apocryphal  books,  afcribed  to  Pe- 
ter and  Andrew,  Thomas  and  John,  or  the  travels 
oi"  the  apoftles,  the  gofpelof  Thomas,  and  the  aeis 
of  Paul  and  Thecla,  probably  written  by  one 
Leucian,  who,  though  not  properly  a  Manichaean, 
was  one  who  entertained  fimilar  principles,  and 
lived  about  a.  d.  140. 

The  feci  of  Manichaeans  was  divided  into  the 
eleB$  and  the  auditors,  oi  whom  the  latter  might 
eat  flefh,  drink  wine,  bathe,  marry,  trafic,  poflefs 
eftates,  bear  magiftracies,  &c,  ali  which  were  for- 
bidden to  the  elect.  But  thefe  wTere  maintained  by 
the  auditors,  who  revered  them  fo  much,  that  they 

always 


472       THE  HISTORY  OF  THE    Per.  VI. 

always  kneeled  down  to  afk  their  bleffing.  How- 
ever, many  of  the  auditors  endeavoured  to  imitate 
the  ele£l,  and  their  aaftcre  manners  gained  them 
many  admirers,  fo  that  there  were  Manichasans  in 
many  parts  of  the  world,  though  there  were  not 
many  of  them  in  any  one  place.  Auftin  was  an 
auditor  among  the  Manichaeans  nine  years,  and 
he  promoted  their  caufe  very  much  among  men  of 
s,  and  perfons  of  confiderable  rank  in  life. 

Bolides  the  books  afcribed  to  Addas,  BudJas, 
or  Adimantus,  but  which  were  probably  written 
hy  Ivlani  himfelf,  and  which  were  held  in  the  high- 
efli  efleem  among  them,  mention  is  made  of  ano- 
ther Manichaean  writer,  called  Agapius ;  and  it  is 
probable  that  we  have  a! moil  the  entire  treatife  of 
Fauftus,  another  of  them,  in  Auftin's  anfwertoit. 
Of  the  writers  againft  the  Manichaeans.  Fabricius 
enumerates  forty,  and  his  catalogue  is  by  no  means 
complete.  Among  them  Epiphanius  enumerates 
Euk  bins  of  Caefarea,  Eufebius  of  Emefa,  Serapi- 
on  of  Thmuis,  Atbanafius  of  Alexandria,  Gec;ge 
of  Laodicea,  Appollinaris  of  the  fame  place,  and 
Titus  of  Boftra. 

It  maybe  faid  with  refoecl  to  the  Manichaeans, 

as  I  obferved  of  the   Gnoflics,   that  the  hiftorical 

evidence  of  chriilianity  mud  have  been  very  clear 

and  ftrong,  to  induce  thofc   who  held  fuch  philo- 

fophical  crmciples  as  theirs  to  embrace  it*. 

S  E  C- 
*  Lardner's  Credibility,  Vol.  vi.  p.  17,   &c.    Beau- 
fobre's  Hiftoire  de  Manicheifme.- 


Sec.  X.       CHRISTIAN  BHUROfL      473 


SECTION     X. 

Of  the  Con/liiutini  of  the  Chriflian    Church   befon 
the  Time  of ConjlanUnc. 


A: 


S  there  was  no  material  alteration,  that 
we  can  diftinclly  trace,  in  the   COfrftitU!  the 

chriflian  church,  from  the  period  in  which  I  laft 
mentioned  the  fubjeft,  till  the  time  of  Confluntine, 
I  (hall  in  this  place  give  a  general  view  of  it,  in  all 
the  intermediate  periods,  as  far  as  will  be  necelTary 
to  mypurpofe,  which  is  not  to  be  particular  or  cri- 
tical ;  and  in  this  I  (hall  make  great  ufe  of  Lord 
Chancellor  King's  treatife  on   this  fubje&. 

Originally  there  were  feveral  bifhops,  or  pref- 
byters  (for  it  is  evident  that  they  meant  the  fame 
thing)  in  moft  chriflian  churches  ;  but  in  the  pe- 
riod of  which  I  am  now  treating  there  was  only 
one  perfon  who  had  the  title  of  biJJiop  in  a  church, 
though  the  whole  jurifdiction  of  that  bifhop  was 
called  one  church,  or  pari/h,  and  never  diocefe,  com* 
prehending  feveral  churches.  Let  a  city  have 
been  ever  fo  large,  and  have  contained  ever  fo  mn« 
ny  chriflians,  we  never  read  of  more  than  one 
bifhop  in  the  place.  This  arofe  from  the  natural 
cuflom  of  directing  particular  prefbyters  to  pre- 
fide  in  thole  affemblks,  which,  en  account  of  the 

Vol,  I,  M  m  m  increafing 


474   THE  HISTORY  OF  THE     Per.    VI. 

increafing  numher  of  converts,  were  obliged  to  be 
held  feparately  from  the  original  place  of  meeting, 
but  which  were  flill  considered  as  fo  many  branch- 
es of  the  original  church.  It  is  probable  alfo  that 
villages  very  near  a  large  town  would  often  be 
ferved  in  the  fame  manner,  viz.  by  the  prefbyters 
fentfrom  the  town,  and  net  have  bifhops  of  their 
own,  though  others  at  a  greater  diflance  would  of 
courfe  have  them.     Thefe   were  called  chorocpif- 

copi. 

When  the  cb  i  lians  either  in  a  remote  part  of 
a  town,  or  a  neighbouring  village,  were  verv  kw9 
it  would  be  a  convenience  to  them  to  have  their 
affairs  managed  in  this  manner;  and  if,  as  their 
numbers  gradually  increafed,  no  fenfible  inconve- 
nience arofe  from  it,  this  cuftorn  of  particular  con- 
gregations being  governed  by  prefbyters  would  na- 
turally be  continued,  till  at  length  the  bifnop  of  the 
original  congregation  in  any  place,would  infenSbly 
become  a  Diocefan  bifhop,  having  feveral  diftinet- 
congregations  under  his  care.  This  was  the  caJfc 
with  the  Goths,  who  in  all  this  period,  and  long 
afterwards,  had  no  more  than  one  bifhop.  Still, 
however,  the  members  of  thefe  feveral  congrega- 
tions united  under  one  head  might  aiTemble„  cither 
in  nerfon,  or  by  their  deputies,  lor  the  choice  of  a 
bifnop,  or   any    other  bufinefs    which   concerned 

them  all. 

The  lord  chancellor   King,  fuppolea  that,  ex- 
cepting 


Sec.  X.      CHRISTIAN    CHURCH.         .175 

cepting  the  city  ol  Ale: 

care  of  more  than  a  fin 

people  as  ■  in  one  place,  till    neai    tl 

time  of  C  ie.      But  this    is    in   the    hlgl  eft 

degree   improbable,  and  utterly   inconfinVnt  with 

what  is  well  known  to  have   been,    the  number    of 

chriftians  in  many  cities  within  that  period.      His 

chief  argument  is  that  the  members  of  each  church 

are  often  faid  to  meet  in  one  place.     But  this  might 

as  well  apply  to  the   church  of    Jerufalern.      For 

we  re^d  that  when  Paul  was    at  jerufalern,    a.  d. 

58,  the  whole  multitude  vivjl  needs  came  together* ; 

though  it  is  certain  that  there   were   not  lets    than 

ten  thoufand  chriftians  at  Jerufalern    in   the  vciy 

year  of  our  Saviour's  afcenGon  ;  and   it  cannot  but 

befu    poi  d  that  they  mu  ft  have  more  than  doubled 

or  tripled  their  numbers  between  that  time  and  this. 

Thefe  bifhops,  as    well  as  the  prefbyters,  and 

the  oiher  officers  of  the  church,   were   chofen  and 

appointed  by  the  whole  body  of  chriftians  in   the 

place  ;   and  at  fir  ft.  no  other  ordination  would  be 

thought  neceflary.   But  by  degrees  i:  was  thought 

proper,   for  the  lake  of  preferving  harmony,   and 

keeping  up    the   favourite  idea  of  the   unity  oj  the 

church,   that   fome   of  the    neighbouring  bifhops 

mould  concui  in  the  ordination  of  thofe  who  wcie 

to  be  confidered  as  their  colleagues.    Confequent- 

]y  their  concurrence  in  the  choice  of  a  bifliop  be- 

♦  Aelsxxii-  21- 


476        THE  HISTORY  OF  THE    Per.  VI. 

came  necdfary  ;  and  at  length  it  was  fettled  that 
thiee  of  the  neighbouring  b  fli  :ps  at  lead  fbould 
afFifl  at  the  ordination,  and  that  one  of  them  mould 
lay  his  hands  upon  him  and  pray,  recommending 
him  and  his  labours  to  the  divine  blefiing  ;  a  cere- 
mony  which  was  afterwards  called  consec? aiion. 
But  even  in  this  the  presbyters  of  the  church  join- 
ed the  bifhop,  doing  what  themfelves  had  been 
ufed  to  perform  before  it  was  thought  neceffary  to 
afk  the  concurrence  of  others.  After  the  confecra- 
tion  it  was  ufuai  to  give  notice  of  it  to  the  bifhops 
of  other  fees. 

Still-  however,  the  original  idea,  of  a  bifhop  be- 
ing the  fame  with  a  prefbyter,  prevailed  fo  tar,  that 
when  he  was  appointed,  he  was  not  fuppofed  to 
have  any  new  powers.  He  prcfided,  indeed,  in 
the  council  of  the  prefbyters,  and  would,  no  doubt, 
have  much  perfonai  influence,  but  he  had  only  a 
finale  vote  in  their  deciGons.  In  the  time  of  Fir- 
iriilian  and  Teriulhan,  presbyters  had  the  power 
of  baptxfing,  confirming  and  ordaining,  but  this 
was  with  the  permiihon  of  the  bifhop.  The  pref- 
byters  as  well  as  the  bifhops  were  required  to  be 
exempt  from  all  fecular  emploj  merits ;  and  cor;fe- 
quently  if  they  had  not  wherewith  to  maintain 
themfelves,  they  mud  have  been  maintained  out 
of  the  funds  of  the  fociety. 

The  office  of  deacon  continued  as  before;  but 
they  ranked  with   the  dergy,  when  tbeie  came  to 

be 


Sec.  X.      CHRISTIAN   CHURCH.        477 

be  con  fleered  as  a  di  flinft  body  from  the  laity.  In 
largo  clmrches  there  were  alio  many   1  1- 

cers,  as  thofe  of  fub-deacons,  readers,  acolytbt,  and 
exorcifts.     The  title  of  fub- deacon   and   acolyth 

are  fimilar  ;  but  the  latter  arc  by  fome  thought  to 
have  had  the  care  of  the  lamps,  and  of  providing 
bread  and  wine  for  the  eucharid.  The  cxorciits 
had  the  care  ot  infane  pcrfons,  and  were,  no  doubt, 
taught  to  pronounce  over  them  the  ufual  words  of 
adjuration,  in  the  name  of  Chrifl,  Sec.  for  it  was 
the  general  opinion  in  this  age,  as  well  as  in  that 
of  our  Saviour,  that  infane  perfons  were  poffefled 
with  evil  fpirits  ;  and  though  they  were  no  longer 
cured  in  a  miraculous  manner,  yet  the  fame  forms 
might  be  continued  with  the  idea  of  their  having 
fome  invifihle  good  effect. 

The  ordinary  chriftians  were  not  admitted  to 
baptifm  till  they  had  been  iome  time  in  the  clafs  of 
tatcckunicns,  in  which  they  went  through  a  courfe 
of  inllrudion  ;  and  in  cafe  of  grofs  offences,  and 
efpccially  of  apoflacy  in  lime  of  pcifecution,  they 
were  excommunicated,  or  rejected  from  the  foci- 
cty  ;  and  they  could  not  be  reflored  to  communi- 
on with  it,  without  going  through  a  fratc  ui  penance, 
and  then  they  weie  not  admitted  without  the  con- 
fent  of  the  whole  church. 

Though  the  people  had  the  power  of  depefing, 
as  well  as  of  appointing,  and  ordaining  then  biih- 
ops.  ihey    did   not,   in  general,  chufc   to  do   this 

without 


47S    THE  HISTORY  OF  THE     Psr,  VI. 

v:  hout  the  fan&ion  of  the  neighbouring  bifhops  / 
and  as  in  various  o!  her  tran  factions,  hngie  church- 
es w lined  to  nave  the  fanclion  of  their  brethren, 
this  gave  occuion  to  the  calling  of  synods,  or  coun- 
cils, and  by  degrees  to  the  idea  of  a  right  in  fynods 
a;  d  councils  to  interfere  in  the  buiinefs  of  particu- 
lar churches,  and  to  decide  not  only  on  the  con- 
duct, but  alfo  on  the  orthodoxy  of  particular 
perfons.  And  as  great  deference  was  natu- 
rally paid  to  the  bifhops  of  the  greater  fees,  as 
in  thofe  of  Antioch,  Alexandria,  Ephefus,  Rome, 
Carth?.ge.  &c.  the  calling  of  fynods,  or  councils, 
in  the  provinces  of  which  thofe  cities  were  the  ca- 
pitals, became  hi  time  appropriated  to  them.  Of 
courfe  they  prehied  in  them,  and  had  the  chief  in- 
fluence in  directing  their  proceedings.  This  cuf. 
tom  of  meeting  in  fynods,  which  was  afterwards  the 
caufe  oi  io  much  mifchief,  had  a  very  innocent  ori- 
gin, ?nd  began,  it  is  faid,  in  Greece,  where  the 
people  >f  neighbouring  cities  bad  been  uied  to  af- 
femble  for  the  purpofe  of  confulting  about  their 
common  intereft. 

This  was  the  natural  progrefs  of  things  brieve 
the  interference  of  the  civil  power  in  the  affairs  of 
the  church,  and  notwithftanding  the  great  [evils 
which  in  a  courfe  of  time  arofe  from  this  f)  ilem,  es- 
pecially in  the  obftru&ion  of  free  inquiry,  and  in 
giving  occafion  to  much  violence  and  injuflice,  it 
was  what  the  wiiefl  men  of  that  age  could  not  well 

have 


Sec.;x.    christian  church.       479 

have  forefcen.     The  idea  of  the  unity  of  the  church 

and  confequemly  the    uniformity  of  its   faith  aid 
practice,  as   oppofed  to  thofe  o(   fchifmatici  an  1 
heretics,  was  in  the  infancy  ol  things  a  \  cry  flatter, 
ing   one  ;    and  it  was  always   known,    that    t]  ere 
could  be  no  great  and  general    good  without  forne 
partial  evils.     It  was  alfo  thought  the  part  ot  mo- 
defty  in  a  icw  toacquiefcein  thejudgment  of  many. 
In  fome  provinces  fynods  were  held  frequent- 
ly.    Thus  Firmilian   fays,    that    in  his   province 
they  met  every  year  ;  and  it  appears  from  the  writ- 
ings of  Cyprian,  that  in  bis  they  fometimes  met  of- 
tener.     Thofe  who  were  convened  on  thefe  ccca- 
fions  were  not  only    the   bifhops   and  the  clergy, 
but  alfo  laymen,  to  reprefent  the  people ;  the  pow- 
er of  a  fynod  being  naturally  lodged  in  the   fame 
hands  as  that  of  particular   churches.     But  it    is 
probable  that,  on  thefe  public occafions,  very    few 
would  attend,  or  at   lead  have    much    influence, 
befides  the  chrgy. 

The  method  of  public  worfhip  among  chi  ifti- 
ans  in  thefe  early  times  was  generally  (his.  They 
began  with  reading  the  fcriptures,  and  fometimes 
other  ufeful  writings,  after  which  they  fung  pfalms, 
chiefly  thofe  of  David,  and  then  the  bifhop,  or  any 
other  pcrfon,  appointed  by  him,  gave  a  difcourfe, 
or  fermon,  which  was  generally  an  cxpofitlon  of 
the   portions    of   fcripture  which    had  been  read. 

Then 


480      THE  HISTORY  OF  THE  Per.  VI. 

Then  followed  the  prayer  which  preceded  the  ce- 
lebration of  the  eucharift,  and  the  fuperftitious  cuf- 
tom  of  looking  towards  the  Eaft  while  they  pray* 
ed,  foon  became  general.  In  this  prayer  they  fome- 
times  introduced  the  Lord's  prayer,  but  they  had 
no  prefcribed  liturgy,  every  perfon  who  officiated 
praying  according  to  his  ability  ;  and  indeed  in 
that  age  no  public  fpeaker  u(ed  any  notes.  After 
prayer  the  people  joined  by  faying  aloud.     Amen, 

When  perfons  were  baptized  they  anfwered 
to  ceitain  queilions  that  were  put  to  them,  the  fhft 
of  which  was  whether  they  would  lead  a  good  life  ; 
which  was  commonly  exprefled  by  faying  that 
they  renounced  the  devil,  and  all  his  works,  or  the 
world,  &c.  They  were  then  afked  whether  they 
believed  the  articles  of  the  clmflian  faith,  which 
were  repeated  to  them  in  the  order  of  what  is  com- 
monly called  the  apefiles  creed.  At  firft  this  con- 
fided but  of  very  few  articles,  but  afterwards  more 
were  added,  in  order  to  exclude  the  Gncf:ics.  In 
Sequence  of  this,  though  the  baptifmril  creed 
cor, filled  of  nearly  the  fame  articles  in  ail  the  ca- 
tholic churches,  yet,  as  it  was  not  committed  to 
writing,  there  were  forne  variations  in  it  in  differ- 
ent churches. 

That  infants  were  both  baptized,  and  alfo 
partook  of  the  eucharift,  there  feems  to  me  to  be 
no  reafonahle  doubt  ;  fmce  it  is  impoflible  to  trace 
its  rife,  or  any  variation  in  the  practice  ;  and  occa- 

fions 


S*c.  X.     CHRISTIAN    CHURCH.         481 

lions  occurred,  at  lead  in  the  time  of  Auftin,  on 
which  learned  nnd  ingenious  men  might  hare  a- 
vailed  themfelves  of  the  confideration  ol  the  no- 
velty of  the  pradiice,  if  they  could  have  proved  it 
to  be  novel. 

At  baptifm  adult  pcrfons  answered  for  them- 
felves  ;  but  for  children  there  were  appointed  spon* 
sors,  whofe  office  it  was  to  infliucfc  them  in  the 
principles  of  the  chriftian  religion  when  they  were 
capable  of  it.  The  fuperflitious  cuftnrn  of  exor- 
cifing,  or  calling  our  evil  fpirits,  which  were  lup- 
pofed  to  poflefs  oj  haunt  pcrfons,  alfo  preceded 
baptifm  in  this  period.  The  minider  then  prayed, 
and  his  prayer  was  very  foon  fuppofed  to  convey 
fome  purifying  virtue  to  ihe  water,  by  which  it 
could  actually  wafh  away  fin,  and  on  this  account 
fome  fuperflitious  perfons  deferred  baptifm  till 
they  apprehended  that  they  were  near  death.  In 
the  acl;  ol  baptizing  it  foon  became  the  cuftom  to 
immerfe  the  perfon  three  times,  correfponding  to 
the  fucceffive  invocation  of  the  names  of  the  Fa- 
ther, of  the  Son,  and  of  the  Holy  Spirit. 

In  cafes  in  which  the  dipping  of  the  whole  body 
was  inconvenient,  as  of  fick  pi-rfons,  Szc.  fprinkling 
was  thought  to  fufTice,  and  though  this  was  not 
deemed  to  be  fo  regular  a  baptifm  as  that  by  im- 
merfion,  it  was  not  denied  that  it  had  the  fame 
confequences ;  and  they  who  had  been  baptized 
in  this  manner  were  never  baptized  again. 

Vol.  I.  N  n  n  After 


482        THE  HISTORY  OF  THE   Per.  VI. 

After  baptifm  the  chriftians  put  on  white  rai- 
ment, and  were  then  anointed  with  oil  called  the 
chrism,  which  was  applied  to  the  fore-head  by  fign- 
ing  them  with  the  fign  of  the  crofs*;  and  after  this 
the  perfon  who  baptized  put  his  hands  upon  them, 
praying  that  they  might  receive  the    Holy  Ghoft. 
The  fuperftitious  origin  ot  thefe  cuftoras  will  eafily 
be  conceived.  Anointing  was  a  ceremony   of  con- 
secration, borrowed  from  the  Jewifli    ritual  ;    and 
the  G<m  of  the  crofs  was  to  fhew  that  they  fhould 
be  ready  to  take  up  their  crofs  and  follow  Chrift« 
To  the  above   mentioned  ceremonies  were  fome- 
times  added  the  eating  of  milk  and  honey,  as  a  to- 
ken of  the  new  converts  becoming  again  children, 
and  commencing  a  new  life. 

The  public  fervices  of  every  Lord's- day  con- 
cluded with  the  celebration  of  the  Lord's  Supper  ; 
but  it  was  occafionaliy  adminiftered  early  in  the 
day,  and  fometimes  twice  a  day.  It  foon  became 
the  cuftom  to  exclude  the  catechumens,  as  well  as 
thofe  who  were  in  a  ft  ate  of  penance,  from  attend- 
ing this  part  of  the  fervice,  on  the  idea  of  its  being 
a  myjhry,  refcmbling  the  heathen  initiations.  Pre- 
vious to  the  celebration  in  fome  places,  and  m  o- 
thers  after  it,  thofe  who  attended  made  their  obla- 
tions, of  things  proper  for  the  ufe  of  the  poor,  and 

for 

*  There  was  no  unction  before  baptifm  in  the  time 
of  Tertullian,  but  only  after  it  ;  and  this  was  begun  in 
his  time,  probably  to  represent  the  unclion  of  the  Holy 
Spirit.     Bingham,  p.  536. 


Sec.  X.      CHRISTIAN    C  [.         483 

for  other  purpofes.  A' 

a  dilcou:  fc  I  I  then 

cd.     Whi  n  tl  •   ke  the   I 

and  the  d  '  it  to  all  who  i 

fent.     But  !•:  ces  1  done  by    the 

pn  ibytcrs,  or  by  the  bilhops  themfelves,  the  |  eo- 
ple  Coming  to  the  fable,  and  receiving  it  [landing* 
Laftly,  they  lung  a  hymn,  which  clofed  the  fervice. 

The  chriftian  churches  in  this  a^e  were  gener- 
ally built  with  one  end  pointing  to  the  eaft,  but 
they  were  not  confidered  ns  holy,  no  ceremony  of 
confecration  being  then  ufed.  The  dhief  day  for 
afieaibling  ii  thefe  places  for  public  worfhip,  was 
the  fir  ft  day  of  the  week,  or  the  Lord's-day,  which 
was  confidered  as  a  feftival;  and  on  it  they  nei- 
ther failed,  nor  kneeled,  but  performed  their 
devotions  Handing.  It  was  alfo  the  cuftom  in 
many  of  the  eauern  churches,  to  afTemble  for  di- 
vine worfhip  on  Saturday,  which  was  the  Jewifh 
th. 

The  bilhops  appointed  occafional/rt/?5,  as  they 
faw  reafen,  and  on  thefedays  it  was  the  cuftom  to 
abftain  from  food  till  the  evening.  But  it  was 
generally  the  cuftom  to  have  two  weekly  falls,  viz. 
Wednefdays  nnd  Fridays,  commonly  called  Jla- 
tions,  in  allufion  to  the  military  ftations,  or  fol 
dids  (landing  on  their  guard  ;  and  on  thefe  days 
the  lafting  ended  with  divine  fervice,  at  three  in 
the  afternoon.     The  fafting  on  Friday  wa 

numeration 


484     THE  HISTORY  OF  THE     Per.  VI. 

memoration  of  the  crucifixion ;  but  the  reafon  for 
fading  on  Wednefday  is  not  fo  well  known.   Per- 
haps it  was  the  day  on  which  Jefus  was   betrayed 
by  Judas.     Befides  thefe  weekly  falls,  which  were 
voluntary,  there  was  an  annual  one,  with  us  called 
Lent,  which  was  foon  confidered  as  neceflary  to  be 
obferved.     It  lafled  from  Friday,  the  day  of  the 
crucifixion  in  Paflion  week,  to  the  Sunday  follow- 
ing which  was  the  day  of  the  refurre&ion  ;  and  be- 
caufe  this  faft  generally  continued  forty  hours,  it 
was  thence  termed  quad?'agcjima.     In  the  progrefs 
of  fuperftition  this  faft  of  forty  hours  was  extended 
to  forty  days.      The  ilridleft  of  ail   the  fafts    was 
called  fupei pcfilion.  and  continued  till  the  morning 
of  the  next  do.y,  as  on  Eafter  eve,  and   with  fome 
on  every  Saturday. 

The  moil  ancient  feflival  among  chriflians  was 
that  of  Eailer,  in  commemoration  of  the  refurrec- 
ticn  of  Cfuift.  The  next  was  that  of  Penfecoft, 
or  Whitfunday,  in  remembrance  of  the  defceut  of 
the  Holy  Spiiit.  This  is  mentioned  by  Oiigen 
and  Tertullian.  Chriftmas  was  not  obferved  in 
this  period,  but  the  Epiphany,  or  tne  day  of 
ChrifTs  baptifm,  was  obferved  by  the  Baiilidians. 
Befides  thefe  feftivals,  every  church  celebrated  its 
own  martyrs  on  the  day  of  their  deaths.  All  thefe 
fellivals  were  fpent  in  religious  excrcifes. 

The  revenues  of  any   particular  church  were 
one  grofs  fund  to  which    all   contributed  volunta- 
rily, 


Sec.  XI.    CHRISTIAN  CHURCH.        485 

rily,  according  to  their  ability  j  and,  with  the  con- 
fent  of  all  the  members!  it  was  appropriated  to  par- 
ticular ufes,  as  the  maintenance  of  their  clergy, 
and  other  officers,  the  relict  of  the  poor,  the  repairs 
and  other  expences  attending  the  place  of  worfhip, 
&c.  In  this  d'ltributi ■m)  as  in  every  thing  elfe, 
the  bifhop,  without  having  nominally  any  more 
powrer,  would  of  courfe  have  the  moft  influence  ; 
and  before  the  clofe  of  this  period  the  great  fees 
were  poffefled  of  large  revenues, 


SECTION     XI. 

Of  the  Doftrines  of  this  Period. 


o 


F  thofe  doG vines  which  have  been 
deemed  to  be  moft  important,  thofe  concerning  the 
perfon  of  Chrift  continued  without  any  fer.fi ble 
variation  from  the  time  of  J u Hi n  Martyr  to  that  of 
Conftantine.  The  common  people  were  in  gen- 
eral Unitarians,  as  indeed  we  find  them  to  be  in 
a  later  period;  but  there  was,  no  doubt,  an  in- 
creafe  oi  Trinitarians,  efpecially  among  the  more 
learned  clergy,  who  were  ft  ruck  with  the  flattering 
idea  (the  fame,  in  fa&.  which  had  milled  the 
Gno(iics)oi  the  natural  fpperiority  cfthe  founder 


01 


486      THE  HISTORY  OF  THE    Per,  VI. 

of  their  religion  to  any  thing  merely  human.  They 
thought  that  to  the  complete  man  Jefus  there  was 
fuperadded  tie  uncreated  Logos  of  the  Father, 
which  had  affumed  a  proper  personality  at  the  time 
of  the  creation,  and  was  infeparably  united  to  him 
from  the  time  of  his  conception.  It  was,  however, 
univerfally  acknowledged,  that  there  was  a  time 
(if  that  could  be  called  time  which  preceded  the 
creation)  jn  which  this  logos  had  not  been  emit- 
ted from  the  Father;  fo  that,  in  the  whole  eternity 
which  preceded  this  event,  God  was  the  fame  bet- 
ing that  the  Jews  and  the  Unitarians  held  him  to 
be,  viz.  abfolutely  one  and  without  a  j on. 

That  Chrift  had  no  human  foul  beiides  this 
logos,  and  that  this  human  foul  had  pre-exifted 
when  the  fouls  of  other  men  had  not,  and  that  this 
created  logos  (which  afterwards  became  the  proper 
foul  of  Jefus)  had  been  the  inftrument  in  the  hand 
ot  God  in  making  the  world,  confiding  of  all  things 
vilible  and  invifible,  material  and  immaterial,  is  an 
opinion  that,  as  far  as  appears,  was  not  flaried  in 
this  period,  but  we  mall  fee  it  to  rife,  and  be  the 
caufe  of  great  commotions  in  the  chriflian  world, 
in  the  very  beginning  of  the  next. 

•With'  refped  to  every  dcclrine  of  a  properly 
pra&ical  tendency,  it  cannot  be  doubted  that  it 
was  the  opinion  of  all  the  chriilian  wurld  within 
this  period,  that  every  man  has  a  natural  power 
to  do  the  will  oi  God  ;  and  that  God,  without  the 

inter- 


Sec.  XI.     CHRISTIAN   CHURCH,      487 

intervention  of  Chrift,  is  naturally  p]  icable  I  l  re- 
turning tinners  •  ("6  that  the  ^oSrinc  ol  fupernatu- 
ral  grace,  of  original   fin   ofpn  1  of 

atonement,  were  then  unknown  :  nor,  lid 

any  ot  them  appear  til]  a  much  later  period.  It 
feems,  however,  to  have  been  generally  thought, 
that  God  afforded  extraoi  Inaiy  aid  on  extraordi- 
nary occafions,  as  in  the  time  of  martyrdom,  £cc. 

There  brgan  indeed  to  prevail  fome  obfeure  noti- 
on that,  when  it  is  faid  that  Chrift  died  a  ransom  for 
us,  there  was  fomething  more  than  a  mere  figure 
of  fpeech  intended.  But  that  this  ranfom  had  been 
paid  to  God,  and  that  he  had  been  thereby  render- 
ed placable,  fo  that,  on  this  account,  repentance 
had  become  available  to  pardon,  had  not  been  fup- 
pofed  by  any  one.  If  this  had  been  the  cafe,  the 
fyftem  of  the  Gnoflics  in  general,  and  that  of  the 
Manicheans  in  particular,  would  have  been  ob- 
jected to,  as  providing  no  proper  atonement  for 
the  fins  of  men.  But  whatever  elfe  was  then  urged 
againft  that  fcheme,  this  argument  is  never  menti- 
oned, not  even  by  Auflin  in  a  much  later  period. 
To  make  fomething  real  of  the  ranfom  that  is 
faid  to  be  given  for  us  in  two  or  three  paffages  of 
the  New  Teftarrienf,  it  Was  fupp^ftdV'fchat,  fines 
God  is  the  perfon.  who  is  faid  to  have'  paid  this 
price  for  us,  it  niidl;Iia;:c  ;o,c,cji  giyfen:  by  God  to 
that  being  in  whole  gewef  we  then  were,  viz.  the 
devil.     But  the  powerttiaV-he  Baft  acquired  over 

the 


488      THE  HISTORY  OF  THE     Per.VL 

the  human  race  by  the  fin  of  Adam,  was  (imply 
that  of  making  men  mortal  ;  death,  or  mortality, 
having  been  the  original  penalty  of  fin.  By  pay- 
ing this  ranfom,  therefore,  it  was  thought  that  we 
were  recovered  out  of  the  power  of  the  devil,  and 
reilored  to  our  former  condition  of  immortality  ; 
not  indeed  to  take  place  immediately,  but  after 
death,  fo  that  all  perfons  who  partook  of  the  re- 
demption by  Chnft  Jefus  would  be  rendered  im« 
mortal  in  a  future  flare. 

Confequently,  this  vague  notion  (which,  how- 
ever, does  not  feem  to  have  been  much  attended 
to,  for  it  is  very  feldom  mentioned)  had  no  con- 
nexion at  all  with  the  pardon  of  fin,  with  refpect-  to 
individuals  of  the  human  race.  Befides,  they  who 
thought  that  God  had  paid  this  price  for  the  re- 
demption of  mankind  from  the  power  ofthe  devil, 
were  univerfally  of  opinion,  that,  if  he  had  pleafed, 
he  might  have  redeemed,  or  delivered,  men,  from 
the  power  of  the  devil,  or  their  fubjeclion  to  death, 
in  any  other  way.  He  might  have  done  it,  they 
laid,  at  his  arbitrary  pleafure,  or  by  mere  power, 
without  giving  any  ranfom  at  all ;  but  that  he 
chofe  to  deliver  men  in  this  way,  that  he  might  ap- 
pear jufl  an,d  equitahleMn  his  proceedings. 

'  END  CF  riiE  FIRST  VOLUZLE. 


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